Court Kacheri EXCLUSIVE: Ashish Verma Was NOT Original Choice For TVF's Sony LIV Show? Actor Shares BTS Story

Ashish Verma Exclusive Interview On Court Kacheri: Known for his effortless blend of humor and depth, Ashish Verma has always been one of those rare actors who can slip into any role - whether it's delivering punchy comic relief or grounding a scene with emotional honesty, or it's his standout supporting roles. Over the years, Ashish has become a familiar face across OTT platforms, thanks to his work in shows like Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, InMates, The Whistleblower, and films like Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, Atrangi Re, Article 15, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.

Now, in TVF's upcoming Sony LIV series Court Kacheri, streaming from August 13, Verma is heading back to familiar territory - but with a fresh perspective. In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat, Ashish Verma gets candid about his character, his working experience with stalwart Pavan Malhotra, reuniting with TVF, and his views on getting typecast.

1) Param navigates intense generational pressures from his father Harish Mathur, a towering legal figure played by Pavan Malhotra. How was your experience acting opposite Pavan Malhotra, a veteran with decades of craft, in Court Kacheri?

He's an extremely sweet person and such a giving actor despite having such a big body of work that he has. We have seen him since childhood. People know him from his very popular works like Jab We Met, but I've known him from Salim Langda Pe Mat Ro, Baag Bahadur, and Black Friday. I have been such a big fan of his since then. He works for the film or the show, that's the kind of actor he is. He's been very supportive throughout both on-screen and off-screen. After the release of Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo and TBMAUJ, he was the first person to call me, encourage me, and appreciate my work. Whenever I was feeling low for whatever reason, I used to see Pavan Malhotra's name flashing on my phone.

2) In Court Kacheri, Param contends with legacy pressure from his father. In real life, did you face such legacy pressure from your family? Did your family ever challenge or question your decision to pursue acting instead of a more traditional path - especially considering you studied economics before turning to FTII?

My father was a doctor. He said, 'There's a doctor at home. So, there's no need for another doctor.' My mother is a lawyer. She said, 'There's already a lawyer at home. Aur lawyer nahi chahiye.'I've been doing theatre since childhood and they were really, really supportive of that. I used to work very hard and I was very serious about it from a very young age. I used to study theatre, and did a lot of plays. Then I went to FTII. Unlike what Param is going through, my family's environment was the opposite.

But if you see the show, it's not that simple. It's not just a legacy thing; it's way deeper than that.

3) Your breakthrough roles - like Madhusudan in Atrangi Re, and the emotionally intense Harish in Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo - span a range of tones and formats. Was the fear of being typecast ever a concern when choosing such roles?

I think it's very important to get cast first before you get typecast. First, you need to get cast... the battle of typecasting will come later. It is a difficult profession; there are so many people over here, and it's very important to be visible, to be seen. As an actor, you want to do as many different kinds of roles as you can get. Saas Bahu's role is very different from Param's. Atrangi Re is very different from Saas Bahu. My character in Bhavesh Joshi is also different from them. There is also the tag of a 'hero's friend'. In Atrangi Re and TBMAUJ, I was shown in a similar space. I understand the fear of getting typecast, but I always believe it's important to keep on working at the same time. Yes, of course, I want to diversify, like I want to play a bad guy.

4) You have completed more than a decade in this industry. Looking back, would you call joining TVF a turning point, from economics student to FTII graduate to full-time actor?

I have to acknowledge TVF's contribution to my career. But, in my opinion, my turning point honestly was Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. That ticked off one big bucket list. At the same time, I am very grateful to TVF for giving me Court Kacheri. You need people to back you up. Rarely you find people who back you and Arunabh was one guy who backed me on this. In fact, I was not the first choice for this show. The director, Ruchir Arun, was my batchmate and was working with TVF. All these years, whenever Arunabh and I met he kept on saying that we would do something. But nothing happened. So when he said he was making Court Kacheri, I said, 'Take me'. Then he was like, 'How can I? You are not fitting. You don't look the part.' Back then, I had gained a lot of weight for a show. I was like, 'If my own people won't give me work, phir kaise chalega?' But then he clearly said, 'It isn't about you and me. If you don't fit, you don't fit. I was like, 'Thik hai, give me 2 months.' I didn't meet Ruchir that time and in those 2 months, I lost 12 kilos. And, I came in front of him and asked, 'do I now fit the role, sir?' This is a classic line of actors. He said, 'Yes,' and then I met the writer's room. I did a lot of readings. Arunabh was there. He was always supportive and backed me. (20:07) And, he said, yeah, the writer's room is okay. They liked my work. And finally, Ruchir said, 'Okay, let's do it.'