Exclusive! Tanaav actor Shashank Arora: Cannot really visit Kashmir just as a tourist anymore

Actor Shashank Arora, who plays a crucial part in the recently-released web series Tanaav, says that after the extensive shooting in Kashmir, he developed an insider's view and cannot really visit the Valley again "just as a tourist".

Tanaav is an Indian adaptation of the Israeli show Fauda, and is set in Kashmir. The story revolves around a cat-and-mouse game between a deadly separatist, Umar Riyaz, and the special task force, who are on a mission to track him down and kill him. Shashank plays a young Kashmiri lad, Junaid, who is Umar's right-hand man.

Junaid is morally complex and through his character, one gets an insight into the reality of many Kashmiri youngsters.

Since the cast and the crew of the show extensively shot in Kashmir for months, Shashank opens up to OTTplay about how the experience changed him from within. "Junaid represents the reality of many young Kashmiri boys, who are stuck in an unpleasant situation and a lot of rage within themselves because of the forced normalcy that they live under, especially in pockets of South Kashmir. So, after playing Junaid I probably know a little more about the lives of the people there than those who live outside the Valley. Which is why the next time I go to Kashmir, I cannot visit just as a tourist. I now have more compassion for the people there than earlier, when I was a regular guy from Mumbai," said Shashank.

The actor further added, "Having said that, I did my research and stayed in Kashmir for only two months, so whatever knowledge I have is also limited. Kashmir is a complex subject and one cannot understand the complexity of 50 years in two months."

Tanaav also stars Arbaaz Khan, Danish Husain, Rajat Kapoor, Ekta Kaul, Manav Vij, Sukhmani Sadana, Waluscha De Sousa and Zarina Wahab.

Written by Ishan Trivedi and Sudhir Mishra, and produced by Sameer Nair under the banner Applause Entertainment, Tanaav is now streaming on OTTplay and Sony LIV.