Made in India fame Lakshvir Saran says Naseeruddin Shah's praise is beyond awards
In an exclusive conversation with India Today, actor Lakshvir Singh Saran, who was seen in Made in India: A Titan Story, reflects on building a real-life character with minimal references, the power of subtle romance, and why honest, inspiring storytelling matters in Indian streaming.
Actor Lakshvir Singh Saran, who played engineer Gaurav Dhar in Made in India: A Titan Story, opened up on receiving appreciation from veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and called it “beyond any award” he could ever receive.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Saran spoke about preparing for the role with minimal reference material, balancing two contrasting characters simultaneously, and why authenticity matters more than formulas in storytelling.
Sharing his experience of working with Naseeruddin Shah, who portrayed JRD Tata, Saran conveyed profound respect. He said, “There is not much difference. Just like a young engineer like Gaurav Dhar would look at JRD Tata walking around in the office, that is how Lakshvir Saran would look at Naseeruddin Shah.”
He reflected on how having grown up admiring Shah’s theatre and performances, the on-set privilege and subsequent validation were invaluable. “His approval and validation is beyond any award that I can ever receive in my life,” the actor added.
Saran's character in Made in India: A Titan Story is based on former Titan Managing Director, Bhaskar Bhat. When asked whether he met the Titan MD before filming, Saran revealed the minimal material he had to work with.
“It is quite interesting that I have only one photograph of Bhaskar Bhat that was given to me which comes in the end of the show as MD. His photo shows him smiling, wearing a red-checked shirt. So just that one photo is all I had to build the whole character and understand who he was,” he said.
The actor highlighted Bhat's fondness for checked shirts and incorporated it into Gaurav Dhar’s look, along with a pen in the pocket. The smile and inherent positivity from the image became central.
“My focus was that the energy I receive from his photograph, the positivity that he was carrying within himself, I attempted to carry it throughout the show, with respect to Gaurav Dhar. So that’s all I had to prepare for the character,” Saran added. He hopes to meet Bhat soon despite the latter’s packed travel schedule.
Discussing the excitement of playing two starkly different characters in the same year with Made in India: A Titan Story and Lukkhe, Saran expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“It is very exciting and I feel I am very lucky for having the chance to play such distinct roles in distinct worlds. It is not just the characters that are very different but the world and genre of filmmaking is also different,” he said.
According to Saran, Dhar, a Kashmiri IIT-Madras alumnus and engineer, contrasted sharply with Lucky, the Punjabi hockey player from Chandigarh in Lukkhey. The overlapping shoots proved gruelling yet exhilarating.
“I was shooting for both the projects at the same time for about three weeks. So 12 hours on one set and 12 hours on the other It was insane, going from one world to the other on the same day. It was a crazy experience which I really enjoyed,” he added.
On the series’ refreshing focus amid prevalent dark content on streaming platforms, Saran highlighted Made in India: A Titan Story's emphasis on realism and national pride. “I hope Titan Story opens the world to such complexities being absolutely celebrated and accepted by the masses. We see that Made in India worked with the critics and the audiences. It doesn’t fall back to any tropes,” he said.
He referred to the celebrated achievements drawing from genuine experiences at the Titan factory and affection for the Tata brand, adding, “When you move with such honesty, I think it always works. That is where all the directors, producers and actors should be focussing on.”
Saran's on-screen romance with co-actor Kaveri Seth's Megha Mhatre in Made in India: A Titan Story is also being praised by viewers. While acknowledging the feedback, he appreciated the old-school, understated chemistry with Kaveri Seth, which captured shy, unspoken romance.
“It was very nice for me personally because, firstly, Kaveri is a phenomenal actor. So every nuance and subtlety I threw towards her was accepted with great brilliance and reciprocated also with phenomenal intent,” he said. As a quiet person who values expression through eyes and gestures, he found the approach fulfilling. “These days we have everything is written on the script but it is a lot more fun when you do not say it, you can feel it,” the actor added.
Addressing his collaboration with senior actors Jim Sarbh and Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Saran dismissed any notion of intimidation. “I never get intimidated by co-actors. When we go on set, we are characters in our world and we do our job,” he said.
The actor praised Jim Sarbh’s generosity in offering him the dialogue, "these eight months will be the most memorable throughout our lives," and described Vaibhav’s pure-hearted nature. Jim’s thoughtful approach left a lasting impact. “There is so much that I learned from him. So there was no intimidation at all,” Saran added.
On the theme of freedom of failure highlighted in the series, Saran offered a thoughtful perspective applicable beyond entertainment.
“Failure will come in everyone’s life. But what we do with it is what will define how we move ahead. If I only make choices that keep me within my comfort zone, I will never grow as an actor,” he said, drawing from his own nervous yet rewarding experience balancing dual roles.
Saran also emphasised that he approaches every character with full commitment, prioritising honesty over results. Echoing the memorable line from the show, "we must create something that the world remembers it," he aspires to create work that lingers with viewers.
Among his preferred films, the actor expressed appreciation for Sabar Bonda and Obsession, advocating greater trust in young filmmakers in India, akin to A24’s model.
Actor Lakshvir Singh Saran, who played engineer Gaurav Dhar in Made in India: A Titan Story, opened up on receiving appreciation from veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and called it “beyond any award” he could ever receive.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Saran spoke about preparing for the role with minimal reference material, balancing two contrasting characters simultaneously, and why authenticity matters more than formulas in storytelling.
Sharing his experience of working with Naseeruddin Shah, who portrayed JRD Tata, Saran conveyed profound respect. He said, “There is not much difference. Just like a young engineer like Gaurav Dhar would look at JRD Tata walking around in the office, that is how Lakshvir Saran would look at Naseeruddin Shah.”
He reflected on how having grown up admiring Shah’s theatre and performances, the on-set privilege and subsequent validation were invaluable. “His approval and validation is beyond any award that I can ever receive in my life,” the actor added.
Saran's character in Made in India: A Titan Story is based on former Titan Managing Director, Bhaskar Bhat. When asked whether he met the Titan MD before filming, Saran revealed the minimal material he had to work with.
“It is quite interesting that I have only one photograph of Bhaskar Bhat that was given to me which comes in the end of the show as MD. His photo shows him smiling, wearing a red-checked shirt. So just that one photo is all I had to build the whole character and understand who he was,” he said.
The actor highlighted Bhat's fondness for checked shirts and incorporated it into Gaurav Dhar’s look, along with a pen in the pocket. The smile and inherent positivity from the image became central.
“My focus was that the energy I receive from his photograph, the positivity that he was carrying within himself, I attempted to carry it throughout the show, with respect to Gaurav Dhar. So that’s all I had to prepare for the character,” Saran added. He hopes to meet Bhat soon despite the latter’s packed travel schedule.
Discussing the excitement of playing two starkly different characters in the same year with Made in India: A Titan Story and Lukkhe, Saran expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“It is very exciting and I feel I am very lucky for having the chance to play such distinct roles in distinct worlds. It is not just the characters that are very different but the world and genre of filmmaking is also different,” he said.
According to Saran, Dhar, a Kashmiri IIT-Madras alumnus and engineer, contrasted sharply with Lucky, the Punjabi hockey player from Chandigarh in Lukkhey. The overlapping shoots proved gruelling yet exhilarating.
“I was shooting for both the projects at the same time for about three weeks. So 12 hours on one set and 12 hours on the other It was insane, going from one world to the other on the same day. It was a crazy experience which I really enjoyed,” he added.
On the series’ refreshing focus amid prevalent dark content on streaming platforms, Saran highlighted Made in India: A Titan Story's emphasis on realism and national pride. “I hope Titan Story opens the world to such complexities being absolutely celebrated and accepted by the masses. We see that Made in India worked with the critics and the audiences. It doesn’t fall back to any tropes,” he said.
He referred to the celebrated achievements drawing from genuine experiences at the Titan factory and affection for the Tata brand, adding, “When you move with such honesty, I think it always works. That is where all the directors, producers and actors should be focussing on.”
Saran's on-screen romance with co-actor Kaveri Seth's Megha Mhatre in Made in India: A Titan Story is also being praised by viewers. While acknowledging the feedback, he appreciated the old-school, understated chemistry with Kaveri Seth, which captured shy, unspoken romance.
“It was very nice for me personally because, firstly, Kaveri is a phenomenal actor. So every nuance and subtlety I threw towards her was accepted with great brilliance and reciprocated also with phenomenal intent,” he said. As a quiet person who values expression through eyes and gestures, he found the approach fulfilling. “These days we have everything is written on the script but it is a lot more fun when you do not say it, you can feel it,” the actor added.
Addressing his collaboration with senior actors Jim Sarbh and Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Saran dismissed any notion of intimidation. “I never get intimidated by co-actors. When we go on set, we are characters in our world and we do our job,” he said.
The actor praised Jim Sarbh’s generosity in offering him the dialogue, "these eight months will be the most memorable throughout our lives," and described Vaibhav’s pure-hearted nature. Jim’s thoughtful approach left a lasting impact. “There is so much that I learned from him. So there was no intimidation at all,” Saran added.
On the theme of freedom of failure highlighted in the series, Saran offered a thoughtful perspective applicable beyond entertainment.
“Failure will come in everyone’s life. But what we do with it is what will define how we move ahead. If I only make choices that keep me within my comfort zone, I will never grow as an actor,” he said, drawing from his own nervous yet rewarding experience balancing dual roles.
Saran also emphasised that he approaches every character with full commitment, prioritising honesty over results. Echoing the memorable line from the show, "we must create something that the world remembers it," he aspires to create work that lingers with viewers.
Among his preferred films, the actor expressed appreciation for Sabar Bonda and Obsession, advocating greater trust in young filmmakers in India, akin to A24’s model.
