The actor, who played the smooth talking antagonist Walt in the Yash Raj Films' drama about a cop trying to outwit a human trafficking kingpin, says he wants to continue doing roles that are different.
"The major way life has changed now is that I have to keep up with the expectations that 'Mardaani' created. My character was very boy-next-door, normal guy who ran a trafficking business. The role worked because we took a risk. It was very unconventional. I want to keep looking for roles that have an element of surprise," Tahir told PTI in an interview.
"This is a positive role but there is depth to my character. If I did a dark, negative role again then people have this misunderstanding that I can only do such roles. It was important to get out of that zone," he said.
Tahir says he was chosen for the Siddiqui and Chitrangada Singh-starrer even before 'Mardaani' released.
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"Kushan Nandy had seen the trailer of 'Mardaani' and he liked the way it was cut. After a week of its release, they contacted me again. It seemed to be the right project after my debut as it is a positive role where I am working with people like Nawaz and Chitrangada and shooting in West Bengal," Tahir said.
"The film is set in a rustic world and is an action drama. Doing a parallel lead opposite Nawaz in your second film is a big deal. I enjoy challenges on the set. I can learn so much from Nawaz. It is very motivating to work with him," he said.