Doing a TV show allows me to pick and choose films: Jayesh More
TNN | Feb 1, 2025, 08.00 AM IST
Jayesh More, who has done acclaimed Gujarati plays and films, plays a popular recurring character in the TV show Pushpa Impossible. The actor, who was appreciated for his performance in the recent Gujarati film Kaashi Raaghav, says, “When I started off, I did everything I was offered. But now, I am giving time to television. It (doing a TV show) allows me to choose the kind of Gujarati movies I want to do. Even though I do one or two Gujarati films in a year, I take up subjects that I like.”
‘Our film industry has witnessed some impressive changes’
From Aapne To Dhirubhai (2014) to Hellaro (2019) and this year’s Kaashi Raaghav, Jayesh has been doing Gujarati films for over a decade. He feels, “There are so many impressive changes our industry (D-Town) has witnessed. Initially, we used to hire technicians from outside but now, we have people within our teams. Also, we have young cinematographers who are bringing fresh perspectives to the films. The bigger change is that earlier, there were financers backing the films but now, we have producers who are confident about taking risks in terms of content.”
He adds, “Earlier, we were catering to rural audiences but now, we are tapping into urban audiences with varied subjects and risk-worthy content. There are many genres and roles that I want to explore in Gujarati films. However, I would really like to do a biopic now.”
‘I prefer playing realistic characters’
Jayesh, who played a cop in several films earlier, has mostly been playing grey characters of late. Is it a conscious choice? He says, “I don’t pick such roles consciously. But I believe nobody can be completely positive or negative, there will be some conflicts and shades of grey in them. I look at the character’s arc and also the plot. I believe in playing characters with shades which make them feel real and are not typically negative or villainous.”
‘Switching mediums can be tricky’
Asked about working in different mediums simultaneously, he says, “With time, one gets used to working in different mediums. You can have rehearsals while doing theatre, while shooting a film is a long process. Television has a fast-paced process, where your character may change course every day owing to the script’s demands. So, I believe in doing only one project at a time, as switching mediums can be tricky sometimes. Each medium has its pros and cons. Working in television makes you comfortable in front of the camera, but you may also start taking it lightly. So, balancing between mediums is important to keep the creative mind flowing.”
Talking about why has he stayed away from doing a romantic character, Jayesh says, "I have a different definition of romance and I haven’t yet got a script which matches that. So, I am waiting for something like that and once I get it, I would love to do a romantic role."
Is having a certain look important to establish oneself as a hero today? Jayesh says, "Earlier, films had such stories which made us want to be like those heroes, ki mujhe aisa banna hai. Now, we have characters with whom we can relate, something which makes us say, ‘Arrey, yeh toh meri story hai’."
‘Our film industry has witnessed some impressive changes’
From Aapne To Dhirubhai (2014) to Hellaro (2019) and this year’s Kaashi Raaghav, Jayesh has been doing Gujarati films for over a decade. He feels, “There are so many impressive changes our industry (D-Town) has witnessed. Initially, we used to hire technicians from outside but now, we have people within our teams. Also, we have young cinematographers who are bringing fresh perspectives to the films. The bigger change is that earlier, there were financers backing the films but now, we have producers who are confident about taking risks in terms of content.”
He adds, “Earlier, we were catering to rural audiences but now, we are tapping into urban audiences with varied subjects and risk-worthy content. There are many genres and roles that I want to explore in Gujarati films. However, I would really like to do a biopic now.”
‘I prefer playing realistic characters’
Jayesh, who played a cop in several films earlier, has mostly been playing grey characters of late. Is it a conscious choice? He says, “I don’t pick such roles consciously. But I believe nobody can be completely positive or negative, there will be some conflicts and shades of grey in them. I look at the character’s arc and also the plot. I believe in playing characters with shades which make them feel real and are not typically negative or villainous.”
‘Switching mediums can be tricky’
Asked about working in different mediums simultaneously, he says, “With time, one gets used to working in different mediums. You can have rehearsals while doing theatre, while shooting a film is a long process. Television has a fast-paced process, where your character may change course every day owing to the script’s demands. So, I believe in doing only one project at a time, as switching mediums can be tricky sometimes. Each medium has its pros and cons. Working in television makes you comfortable in front of the camera, but you may also start taking it lightly. So, balancing between mediums is important to keep the creative mind flowing.”
Talking about why has he stayed away from doing a romantic character, Jayesh says, "I have a different definition of romance and I haven’t yet got a script which matches that. So, I am waiting for something like that and once I get it, I would love to do a romantic role."
Is having a certain look important to establish oneself as a hero today? Jayesh says, "Earlier, films had such stories which made us want to be like those heroes, ki mujhe aisa banna hai. Now, we have characters with whom we can relate, something which makes us say, ‘Arrey, yeh toh meri story hai’."