By Nikita Bishay

New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): Actor Jitendra Kumar is all set to grace OTT once again - this time in a never-before-seen avatar, essaying a dark, layered character in Akshay Shere's upcoming film, 'Bhagwat Chapter 1: Raakshas'.

Ahead of the film's release, Jitendra Kumar opened up about his newfound interest in an entirely different space, but as the menacing 'demon' or the sly 'hawk'? It is yet to be known.

Speaking to ANI, the 'Panchayat' actor shared how he has been involved with the project for the past two years. 'It is a surprising film, and it came in a surprising manner. We are quite happy about the reactions to the trailer,' he said.

Reflecting on his character, which shows his duality as an 'innocent or monster', Jitendra shared that he had an extensive discussion with the writers and his director to get into the role.

'It was ensured that the realism is intact in the character, and so are the various layers that my character exhibits. All the scenes were shot in real locations. But I was asked not to dig deeper into the background of the narrative, which has been inspired by real-life events. They thought it could go the wrong way,' Jitendra said.

Describing his character to be a 'challenging' one, the actor continued, 'Every part of this role comes with a different shade and layer - something I had never explored before.'

Jitendra spoke about how he was both excited and nervous during the shoot, especially after completing a scene.

'Whenever we shot a new sequence, I used to be eager about my performance. Every scene gave me nervous energy. I was like, 'I need to do it quickly and then check how it has worked out. What are the changes that I need to make further?' he shared.

Noting that the dialogue writer of 'Bhagwat' is one of his old friends, Jitendra Kumar shared that it took him a while before getting convinced about accepting the offer.

'He called him for the film and narrated the entire story. Besides crime and suspense, it also touches on other emotional aspects. After that, I read the script again. Though I thought it would be very challenging for me as the film has a lot to offer and to say to the audiences,' he said.

The trailer of Arshad Warsi and Jitendra Kumar starrer 'Bhagwat Chapter 1: Raakshas' was unveiled on Thursday. The trailer shows a face-off between Arshad and Jitendra's character.

Set in Robertsganj, Uttar Pradesh, the story revolves around Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat (Arshad Warsi) investigating a series of missing cases and murder mysteries. The character of Sameer(Jitendra Kumar) is intriguing and layered. Although he looks like an ordinary young man, his personality hides unsettling secrets.

Helmed by Akshay Shere, 'Bhagwat Chapter 1: Raakshas' premieres on ZEE5 on October 17. (ANI)