Shamaun Ahmed started his career as a DJ in his hometown Kolkata while he was still in his teens. After modelling for a while, he started getting acting opportunities and now, he is focussed on his career as an actor. Shamaun, who has been a part of prestigious projects like ‘Bard Of Blood’ and ‘The Girl On The Train’ in the recent past, plays one of the leads in the short film ‘Venganza’ which is streaming on the newly launched streaming platform BiiggBang Amusement.
In this interview, he talks about the short, his journey in the entertainment industry so far, the transition from being a DJ to an actor and more.
‘Venganza’ is touted to be a dark thriller. What can you tell us about it?
Telling a story of this nature in a short film format is very difficult. Since it’s a thriller, I can’t reveal much about it. It’s a story about a group of friends who have been together since childhood. You can expect a lot of twists and turns in the film.
Earlier this year, you made your feature film debut with ‘The Girl On The Train’.
Yes, it my first feature film in Hindi. Before it, I had done a couple of Bengali films while I was in Kolkata. ‘The Girl On The Train’ was supposed to be my first feature film in Hindi that would have released in the theatres. Because of the pandemic, the film didn’t get a theatrical release but it got a very good release on Netflix and many people across the globe got to watch it.
Before that you had acted in the series ‘Bard of Blood’ which also came out on Netflix and was produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. Do you think these projects help you gain recognition as an actor?
Yes, these projects did help me gain recognition but most importantly, I got to learn a lot while working on them. All these projects had some great actors who were very approachable too. While shooting for ‘The Girl On The Train’, Avinash and I used to discuss the shots and the way our performances were coming across. Most of the projects I have worked on so far have had a very healthy atmosphere.
You started out as a disc jockey in Kolkata. How did acting happen?
Yes, I did start my career as a DJ. I was working as a DJ for a modelling agency. One day, a model had come drunk for a shoot. My boss asked me to replace him and walk the ramp in his place. I was just 16-17 years old then. People liked me and that’s how my journey as a model started. I got a big ad campaign and there was no looking back. Then, I took a 4-5 year long break to build brands and commodities, trading.
How do you look at your journey from Kolkata to Bombay?
I am often told that actors have to look for work but I was a very introverted person. Despite that, I feel grateful about the fact that a lot of good opportunities have come my way. You have to know what you are capable of. It is important to be confident about your craft and try to be the best version of yourself.