Jim Sarbh has looked back on his debut film Neerja and recalled a particularly nerve-racking moment from his first day on set. The actor revealed that he accidentally hit Sonam Kapoor in the mouth with a gun while filming the 2016 biographical thriller. Sarbh also opened up about adjusting to the hierarchy on film sets after coming from theatre and reflected on how his experiences have shaped his decade-long acting career.
Jim Sarbh recalls accidentally hitting Sonam Kapoor on his first day
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Jim Sarbh recalled an accident that took place on his very first day of shooting for ‘Neerja’. Directed by Ram Madhvani, the 2016 film starred Sonam Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot, with Sarbh playing one of the terrorists who hijack the aircraft. Sarbh admitted that he was overwhelmed with panic after accidentally hitting Kapoor during the sequence.“On my first day on shoot, an accident happened. I accidentally hit Sonam Kapoor in the mouth with the gun. I told myself, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’ I will never forget that intensity and panic,” he said.The actor, however, recalled that Kapoor handled the incident professionally and remained supportive of him.“However, she was such a sport about it, and everyone else was enjoying what else I was doing, luckily I didn’t get fired off my first film; otherwise, we wouldn’t be here,” Sarbh added.
Jim Sarbh says he was still adjusting to film-set hierarchies
Sarbh also spoke about the difference between working in theatre and on film sets. Having primarily come from the theatre space, the actor said the hierarchy he encountered in the film industry was unfamiliar to him.“That time, I was getting introduced to film hierarchy, coming from the theater space that was also very new and different. I don’t think I am still adjusted to it,” he said.Sarbh explained that his previous experiences had given him a different understanding of collaboration, where everyone involved in a production worked collectively towards the same project.“All my experiences up until that time were that we were all working on a project together. I didn’t get it. Not that; that project was like that,” he said.
Jim Sarbh’s journey from ‘Neerja’ to OTT
Sarbh made his screen debut with ‘Neerja’ in 2016 and has since built a diverse filmography. His subsequent film credits include ‘Death in the Gunj’, ‘Padmaavat’, ‘Sanju’, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ and ‘Mrs Chatterjee’ vs Norway, among others.The actor has also become a familiar face on OTT platforms, featuring in shows such as ‘Made in Heaven’, ‘Rocket Boys’ and ‘Four More Shots Please!’