Rohit Saraf on The Revolutionaries, insecurities among actors and internet fan wars

Actor Rohit Saraf has stepped into a very different space with Nikkhil Advani’s The Revolutionaries, which sees him play freedom fighter Sachindra Nath Sanyal. The actor, who has largely been associated with romantic roles, spoke to India Today about how the part challenged him in ways he was excited to explore. The 29-year-old also opened up on navigating insecurities while working on multi-starrer projects and the internet’s obsession with pitting actors against each other.

Saraf has been part of several ensemble projects, and his last film, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari alongside Varun Dhawan, became fodder for social-media fan wars, with audiences dissecting performances, roles and screen time and deciding who came out on top. For Saraf, though, insecurities never existed. He believes it’s a human emotion, as everyone wants to do the right thing and grow. He also has a simple formula to keep the noise at bay: nobody else can bring exactly what he brings.

"What has really sort of kept me in check and what has really made me feel secure at the end of it is to know that what I am bringing to the project, only I can, and not any other actor. And therefore I have been cast [for that role]," he said.

The actor is also not concerned about the debates on social media, as he said, “As far as fan-wars are concerned, I do not interfere in them. What they want to do with it, they can. I have never put another person down. I don’t think that’s me at all. I also do not know how one can feel happy putting another person down in order to grow yourself. I think a project is only as good as the camaraderie one shares.”

That philosophy was tested in The Revolutionaries, at least on paper, with Bhuvan Bam and Gurfateh Pirzada also playing the leads. But Rohit said that, on set, the story was different. “One would think that when there are three sort-of formidable actors, and they are all pretty much in the same age category and playing similar parts, in essence, in the show, there would be a lot of competition. But actually it was the opposite. I had my personal equation while doing scenes with Gurfateh, Bhuvan and, of course, with Pratibha. And I had so much to bounce-off of. I had a lot to kind of give and take with, and I have truly felt very encouraged.”

He also added, “I understand why you asked me that question because, you know, I have been a part of a lot of those theories and wars on social media. But I must tell you my experience personally: what happens on social media is not up to me because I am not the one orchestrating it. What happens on set is completely up to me. And I can assure you I have had the best experience with every single co-actor, and they have all been absolutely fantastic to work with.”

Further, we also discussed his image as the 'charming romantic hero', the 'boy-next-door' and the internet’s 'national crush'. When asked if taking up this patriotic drama was a rebellion against that, Saraf, whose claim to fame is Netflix's romantic show Mismatched, denied it immediately. "Not at all, because I don’t hate the image. I really do love it. And I am very grateful for it. I have worked hard towards it. But I do think this was an extension of it. I think it was important for me to not feel comfortable but to challenge myself,” he said.

The actor shared that he was particularly excited by the sheer range Sanyal offered him, describing the experience as almost getting to play several characters within one. He said, “Nikkhil sir [director Nikkhil Dwivedi] was very kind to have seen the potential in me, to be able to take that ride with me. And trust me, with a character as incredible as Sachindra Nath Sanyal, I have had such a blast playing it. I can’t even begin to tell you. It feels like I got to play multiple characters in just one, because it’s such a complete character. It starts as a young boy, and ends up being a man with responsibilities by the end of it.”

When asked what he took away from the character, Saraf smiled and said it was the ‘conviction’. He elaborated, “Since the time he was Shonku, he really believed in his ability to actually be at the forefront and not just in the shadows. And I think I admire that courage and I admire that passion.”

The Revolutionaries is currently streaming on Prime Video.- EndsPublished By: Vineeta KumarPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 18:00 ISTRead more | The Revolutionaries review: Nikkhil Advani's goosebump-inducing ode to forgotten heroes