Leaving behind his established modelling career in Delhi, Rohman Shawl came to Mumbai to explore other avenues. The actor, who was once dating Sushmita Sen and continues to be her close friend, talks about how he made the shift from the runway to cinema and the impact Sushmita has had on his life.
‘Playing an antagonist is a feeling every actor should experience’
After acting in a few short films, Rohman bagged the role of one of the antagonists in the film Amaran. The actor said, “Playing an antagonist is a feeling every actor should experience. I wanted people to hate me for my role, and they did, so I guess I did something right and it felt like an accomplishment. It was such a dark role that it was changing me as a person. With this film, I learnt that as an actor one needs to learn when to break away from the character.”
‘When I met Sushmita, I wasn’t focusing on becoming an actor’
Rohman came into the limelight as someone who was dating Sushmita Sen a few years ago. While there was a lot of buzz around that, it also led to him losing out on modelling assignments. He said, “In 2013, I began modelling in Delhi. I became a top model there, and with all that experience came to Mumbai. When I met Sushmita, I wasn’t focusing on becoming an actor. In fact, after my name was associated with hers, people thought that I wouldn’t take up modelling assignments and would switch to acting instead. Log sochne lage ab yeh kyun modelling karega and I stopped getting offers.”
‘I have learnt so many things just being around Sushmita’
Being with Sushmita, Rohman picked up the nitty-gritties of acting and how things functioned on sets. “I was lucky enough to be on the sets of Aarya and Taali and see her perform. You can just observe people and absorb so much. I hope everyone has a person in their life they can learn from,” he shared. Though the two have moved on from that phase, Rohman is often spotted accompanying Sushmita at events. He explained, “I only accompany her as a friend. I like spending time with her. If the relationship didn’t have issues and if you have given so much to a relationship, then why would you run away from it?”
‘I like being in relationships that drive me’
Talking about his personal life, Rohman said, “I am single right now, but because a big name of that stature has been associated with me, people think that I am still with her. So, nobody even approaches me (laughs). I totally believe in love and relationships. In fact, I like being in relationships that drive me.”
