Exclusive: My Biggest Fear Is That My Performance Shouldn’t Feel Like a One-off: Shantanu Maheshwari

For over a decade, Shantanu Maheshwari has steadily carved a space for himself across dance, television, films and digital entertainment. From winning hearts as Swayam in Dil Dosti Dance to making a memorable big-screen debut in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Ishaan in Campus Beats, he has built a career on versatility rather than convention.

Now, as Campus Beats returns for its sixth season, Shantanu reprises Ishaan, a character that has evolved significantly over the years.

In this conversation with Filmfare, the actor opens up about keeping a long-running character fresh, choosing projects that challenge him, navigating the industry without a godfather, staying away from the social media race and why he still feels he has a lot more to prove.

When you return to a show for its sixth season, how do you approach the character, and how do you keep it fresh? 

Keeping a character fresh is largely the writer’s responsibility. This season comes after roughly a year’s gap, so the discussions we had revolved around what the character must have gone through during that time. This season, in particular, had a lot of layers. The more layers I could bring out through my performance, the easier it became for the audience to connect with the character and for me to execute the writer’s vision.

That was challenging because everyone around the character had moved on and lived different lives, whereas I was carrying the weight of five previous seasons into the sixth. There was a certain heaviness that came with it, and I had to keep peeling back those layers while performing.

We first saw you playing a college student in Dil Dostii Dance over 10 years ago. And now, you’re still convincingly playing younger characters. What’s the secret?

In my head, I’m still 24-26. Maybe that’s the reason I don’t feel old or consciously try to add age to the characters I play. I observe a lot. I’m often around younger people, so I continue to have those interactions and understand how they think. I’ve also been fortunate to work with good writers. They do a lot of research and put together very detailed and polished scripts, which makes my job easier because I don’t have to start from scratch.

This season sees your character dealing with a lot emotionally. 

I’ve been playing this character for a long time, so I have certain instincts about him. My process is to start thinking like the character. Once that happens, performing becomes easier. At the same time, you rely heavily on the writer because my job is to execute what has been written and bring the writer’s vision to life. You have to trust the writer and the director’s conviction. Of course, there are discussions and debates at times, but I’ve never had a situation where I felt the character was doing something completely out of place.

You’ve had a diverse career spanning dance, television, films and web series. At this stage, what kind of stories and characters excite you?

Sometimes I do get typical roles which I have already done in the past. That’s the reason I’ve become very choosy. Because I have consciously chosen diverse roles over the years, I now get offered a variety of characters as well. There are very few risk takers who tend to see me in a different light, and I do get opportunities like that. Even my character Ishaan in Campus Beats is something I had never done before. He is a bad boy with a good heart. I’ve mostly played good boys or the boy-next-door. Ishaan was completely different, and I’m very happy I got the opportunity to explore that side.

What are your non-negotiables when it comes to saying yes to a project?

A strict no for me is when I’m not given the script. I don’t like going into a project underprepared or without knowing exactly what I’m getting into. The packaging is important for me at this stage of my career. And the character needs to challenge me. It should push me towards something I haven’t explored before.

In today’s industry, visibility and social media presence matter a lot. You’ve always seemed relatively low-key. Has that ever worked against you?

I don’t know whether it has worked for me or against me because nobody is going to come and tell you, “We’re not casting you because you’re not active enough on social media.” But that’s just not who I am. I’m a private person. I prefer staying low-key and focusing on my work. 

After making your film debut with Gangubai Kathiawadi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, did it naturally raise expectations for what came next?

I don’t know about external expectations, but I definitely put pressure on myself. My biggest fear is that my performance shouldn’t feel like a one-off. Bhansali sir has given me my first film opportunity, and I never want anyone to feel that it was just luck. If he trusted me with that opportunity, then it is my responsibility to carry forward everything I have learned from him.

Was there ever a phase in your career when you felt stuck or felt things weren’t moving the way you wanted them to?

I think that feeling is always there because, as an artiste, you always want to do more. You want to expand, explore different things and work with different people. Even today, there are people I’d love to collaborate with. The key is to accept it and keep working towards your priorities one step at a time.

Do you think the industry sees you as a complete performer today?

I have done a lot of work, and I’ve had to prove myself repeatedly, but whether people fully understand my capabilities or not, I don’t know. For example, when I did Gangubai Kathiawadi, many people were surprised that I could act. Similarly, many people didn’t know I could dance because the film didn’t require me to dance. So it often comes as a surprise package. Maybe people don’t fully know the range I have. At times, it can be frustrating because after proving yourself repeatedly, you still find yourself having to prove the same things again. 

You’ve built your career without a mentor backing you. Does that give you freedom, or does it make the journey lonelier?

In some ways, it gives you freedom. At the same time, the journey can feel lonely. There are moments when you think that if someone had been there to guide you, the path might have been easier. That said, my friends have played that role to some extent. They’ve helped me navigate difficult phases and recover from setbacks much faster. Over time, experience and mistakes make you stronger. You learn how to deal with heartbreaks, missed opportunities and unmet expectations. There’s a beauty in that process because it teaches you resilience.

Were you very hard on yourself during your early years?

When you don’t have someone constantly guiding you, you learn through mistakes. You’re always on your toes. You don’t want to waste time, and you don’t want to miss opportunities. So yes, I’ve always been tough on myself, and I probably still am.

What actually makes you angry?

I used to be very short-tempered. I’ve worked on it a lot, and I’m still working on it because I didn’t like that version of myself. Earlier, whenever I got angry, I wouldn’t necessarily express it openly. I’d withdraw into my shell, stop talking, avoid conversations or simply remove myself from the situation. Over the years, I’ve tried to manage that better and become calmer.

What’s next for you?

Right now, Campus Beats is huge for us, and we’re absolutely loving the response. We’re very happy with the love the show has received. 

Also Read: Exclusive: “Alia Bhatt Has No Vanity,” Says Gangubai Kathiawadi Co-star Shantanu Maheshwari