Paramvir Singh Cheema says playing Prashant in Sapne v/s Everyone helped him disengage from the emotional turmoil he internalised while portraying dark and aggressive

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Gurnaaz Kaur

Paramvir Singh Cheema is currently revelling in the success of his latest OTT venture, Chamak. These days, he is best known as Kaala, the character he portrays in the show. Centered on the journey of a Punjabi singer, the series vividly captures the grind and hustle of an artiste. However, he isn’t your typical musician; Kaala is dark and aggressive.

To embody this character, Paramvir shares, “I had to lose a significant amount of weight to ensure my eyes stood out, as much of my performance relied on my eyes. I grew my hair for six months, tanned my skin to achieve a darker look, and revamped my wardrobe.”

While physical preparation was essential, delving into Kaala’s psyche required even more effort. Paramvir explains, “I immersed myself in understanding the journeys of singers by reading about them, watching their interviews, and exploring their biographies. Influenced by artistes like Kanwar Grewal, Gurdas Maan, Sidhu Moosewala, Arif Lohar, and Tupac among rappers, I crafted a backstory in my mind to authentically portray emotions on screen.”

Initially, Kaala may evoke a sense of revulsion, but Paramvir assures that as the show progresses, viewers will develop a connection with the character. “In the storyline, Kaala’s father is killed in his homeland, leading to a tale of revenge that rationalises Kaala’s behaviour as the narrative unfolds.”

The death of Kaala’s father, portrayed by Gippy Grewal, in the first episode draws parallels to a historical event in Punjabi music. It bears resemblance to the assassination of Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot Kaur in 1988. When asked if the show is loosely based on their lives, Paramvir responds, “While that particular scene might suggest a connection, the focus of the show is to highlight that such tragic deaths should not occur. Numerous artistes, not only in the Punjabi music industry but also globally among rappers, have faced similar fates. The recent incident with Sidhu Moosewala remains shrouded in mystery.” Having immersed himself in the role of Kaala for months, Paramvir found it challenging to disengage from the character’s emotional turmoil. “Holding onto that trauma was not easy. Fortunately, Sapne v/s Everyone came along, and portraying Prashant in the show helped me move beyond it.”

Paramvir has experienced consecutive success with Tabbar, Chamak, and now Sapne v/s Everyone. Anticipation surrounds the release of Chamak Season 2, but he admits, “After completing the shoot for Chamak 2, director Rohit Jugraj cautioned me against taking up another dark or negative role, fearing that people might start disliking me. That’s how much pain I’ve lived through Kaala.”

Reflecting on his journey to success, it’s hard to ignore the fact that he contemplated giving up acting during the lockdown. The son of an advocate-turned-farmer, Paramvir returned to Jalandhar to do farming in 2020 after spending four years in Mumbai. His story unfolds like a movie script. “It all happened spontaneously. In 2016, a friend asked me to walk the ramp, and I won the contest. Encouraged by a friend, I participated in the Mr Punjab pageant and reached the finale. This gave me the confidence to move to Delhi and participate in Mr India, which I also won. Life took a new direction in just six months.” Despite initial success, Paramvir faced the harsh realities of Mumbai. Struggling with no money and limited opportunities, he turned to casting for projects like Satyamev Jayate 2, Rocket Boys and Adhura.

It was his father who convinced him to persevere. “Having seen my work in a couple of TV series, he told me to not quit acting but I got busy with the farmers’ protest. During the protest, I received an audition call for Tabbar. Following my father’s advice, I recorded the audition right from protest site.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Tabbar led to Chamak, followed by Sapne v/s Everyone. Now content in his space, Paramvir aspires to shine on the silver screen and collaborate with ‘great directors’. “Whether Punjabi directors like Jatinder Mauhar and Jagdeep Sidhu or in Hindi, Anubhav Sinha and Anurag Kashyap, working with them would be a joy. They create cinema that impacts people, brings about change in others’ lives, and that’s my dream—to bring joy through my work.”