I'm slightly frightened of him, was bit on edge: Jim Sarbh on working with Manoj Bajpayee in new film

Actor Jim Sarbh says working alongside Manoj Bajpayee has been both intimidating and inspiring as he continues to remain in awe of the senior performer's ability to transform even the simplest of moments into something unforgettable.

The two actors share the screen space in the movie ''Inspector Zende", which premieres on streaming service Netflix on Friday. It is directed by acclaimed Marathi actor-turned-filmmaker Chinmay Mandlekar.

The film features Bajpayee in the titular role of a sharp-witted cop locked in a tense game of cat and mouse with Sarbh's charming yet elusive Carl Bhojraj. It is loosely inspired by the real-life arrest of notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj by Mumbai police officer Madhukar Zende.

Sarbh says he has been a fan of Manoj Bajpayee's work for years, recalling the impact of his performance in Anurag Kashyap's crime epic ''Gangs of Wasseypur''.

''I'll never forget that scene in 'Gangs of Wasseypur', when he's pretending to wash the clothes. I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm going to watch everything this man has done'. It was so funny, and he did it so well. I'm still slightly frightened of him, and I'm still a bit on edge about what his character may do," the 38-year-old actor told PTI in an interview.

''I'm amazed how as an actor he is able to stay completely rooted in the character, and add these little nuances that make you suddenly love the scene and it opens up completely. He can do anything,'' Sarbh said, adding that he is also looking forward to watching Bajpayee's another upcoming release ''Jugnuma''.

The actor, who has earned praise for his roles in "Neerja", "Padmaavat", and "Rocket Boys", said he watched old footage of Sobhraj to prepare for his character of serial killer Carl Bhojraj.

"I watched interviews of the original person that it was based on. I got the lines recorded for me by somebody who is fluent in French. From all the interviews, the one definite factor was that he had a thick French accent, he intentionally kept it because it was part of his entire persona of being this French gentleman businessman that travelled around," Sarbh said, adding that he also observed his body language and mannerisms.

The actor credited the director for crafting the worlds of Inspector Zende and Carl Bhojraj in starkly contrasting ways.

"Chinmay managed to pull it off really perfectly, where one side is very serious and intense and it's slowly dragged into the other person's world, so, the person who eventually wins is the one that likes to laugh together," he said.

"Inspector Zende" also features acclaimed actors from the Marathi film industry like Sachin Khedekar, Bhalchandra Kadam, Girija Oak, Onkar Raut, and Harish Dudhade among others. It is produced by Jay Shewakramani and "Adipurush" director Om Raut.

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