Made in India—A Titan Story creator Robbie Grewal: Jim Sarbh is a 'true actor' who 'insisted on going bald' to play Xerxes Desai

Robbie Grewal is effusive in his praise for veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and the critically acclaimed Jim Sarbh, the leads in his upcoming six-episode series, Made in India—A Titan Story on Amazon MX Player. The filmmaker said that he was able to relax and let the performers completely inhabit their roles because of how well they prepared for the shoot.

Series focuses on Titan's genesis

Based on Vinay Kamath's book Titan: Inside India’s Most Successful Consumer Brand (published in 1984), the series follows Titan from the company's inception to recent years. After being humiliated by a Swiss watch firm, Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (J.R.D. Tata) hired Xerxes Desai to start an exclusively Indian watch brand. The acquisition is the pivotal event in the story.

Grewal expressed his admiration for the compelling story and its historical significance, describing the project as an ideal fit. He continued by saying that the story revolves around JRD. The filmmaker also shared, "Who is not enamoured by him or the journey of making a watch into a brand? The Tatas are a name to reckon with and we trust it."

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Casting choices

Grewal continued by discussing the casting decisions, drawing attention to the strong resemblance between the late industrialist and Shah in particular. He explained, "If you look closely, Naseer Saab has an uncanny resemblance to JRD Tata. The physical similarity and the body language were a perfect fit. Luckily for us, he agreed when we approached him [for the role]. He loved the writing. Jim was a natural choice to play Xerxes Desai, who is the pivotal protagonist of the story."

Grewal pointed out that Shah and Sarbh are very much alike in their work ethic and commitment, despite the age difference. Given his conviction that Sarbh and Shah share similar traits, the filmmaker prefers to allow Sarbh's passion to unfold without providing commentary.

Actors' thorough pre-shoot preparation

"Naseer Saab takes his job so seriously and is so well prepared before the shot. Whether it is two or five pages, he comes on set as JRD Tata. Both Naseer Saab and Jim are from theatre, and while every actor has a different method of acting, they are similar in terms of understanding their characters and being prepared for it. They ideate, understand, and develop their characters pre-shoot. The material to create magic happens before the shoot. They bring so much to the table," the director said.

Sarbh's dedication to the part of Xerxes Desai was something that really struck Grewal. Instead of using special effects makeup, the filmmaker said that the actor decided to undergo a full physical makeover.

Going bald for authenticity

"They say actors are vain. Many would have worn a prosthetic scalp cap, but Jim is a true actor. He insisted on going bald from day one. He told me that he wanted to be Xerxes Desai and to be him, he had to be like him," Grewal disclosed, emphasising Sarbh’s dedication to authenticity.

Namita Dubey, Paresh Ganatra, Kaveri Seth, Lakshvir Saran, and Vaibhav Tatwawadi are among the notable supporting actors in the series. The release date for Made in India—A Titan Story has yet to be announced.

FAQs:

Q: What is Made in India—A Titan Story about?

A: Made in India—A Titan Story is a six-episode series that chronicles the journey of the Titan brand from its establishment in 1984. It details how J. R. D. Tata, following an insult from a Swiss watch company, hired Xerxes Desai to create a world-class watch brand made entirely in India.

Q: Who plays J. R. D. Tata in Made in India—A Titan Story?

A: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah plays the role of the legendary industrialist J. R. D. Tata. Director Robbie Grewal noted the actor's "uncanny resemblance" and "physical similarity" to J. R. D. Tata as a key reason for his casting.

Q: Who plays Xerxes Desai in the Titan series?

A: Actor Jim Sarbh plays the role of Xerxes Desai, who is described as the "pivotal protagonist" and the executive hired by J. R. D. Tata to lead the creation of the Titan watch brand.