Jim Sarbh, who moved to cinema from theatre, says film’s rigid chain of command still jars him a decade after Neerja. He argues that dissolving hierarchies makes people feel valued and work harder, instead of letting mediocrity thrive. Uneasy with fame and protective of his privacy, he now channels these ideas into upcoming roles in Mira Nair’s Amri and Atlee’s Raaka.
Coming to cinema from theatre, Jim Sarbh found film's chain of command the hardest thing to get used to. A decade after Neerja, he says he still hasn't adjusted to it.
"All my experiences up until that time was that we're all working on a project together," he tells The Hollywood Reporter India. "You've hired me because I bring something to the table, and I want to collaborate with you."
Over the years, he says, he has seen very distinct hierarchies take hold, and he believes "the more we can dissolve them, the better the future of filmmaking will be."
His reasoning is that people work harder when they know they were chosen for what they contribute. "In the structure of the hierarchy, sometimes people feel undervalued and it creates another kind of situation where mediocrity can also thrive."
Sarbh mentions fame as a slower adjustment. Though he was not particularly young when Neerja released in 2016, he still finds public attention jarring.
"I am flabbergasted still, and I shouldn't be anymore," he says, adding that he can't imagine chasing a star to declare himself a fan.
Both themes carry into his upcoming work as Sarbh is set to appear in Mira Nair's biographical drama Amri, about artist Amrita Sher-Gil. He is also in Atlee's Raaka, headlined by Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone, set to release in late 2027.