All About Christian Historical Drama ‘The Chosen’: The Show’s Stars Paras Patel and Aalok Mehta Weigh In

With over 250 million viewers, its own exclusive app, merchandise and live events like ‘ChosenCon’ and millions of social media followers, The Chosen (2017) isn’t your average TV show. Produced and directed by Dallas Jenkins, it's a historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of those who knew him.

Recently, for the Indian premiere of season 4 at PVR ICON Infinity in Mumbai, fans lined up eagerly all morning, some even flying down from other cities. In this day and age, what makes a show centred around morality, become one of the most-watched globally? And why are people so drawn to it?

“I think what makes The Chosen so popular is that it's told from a human point of view, and all the characters are relatable,” reveals Paras Patel, who plays the role of Matthew, a disciple of Jesus, in the show. “It's very uplifting and helps people find their true purpose” — that’s the secret sauce, as he calls it.

His co-actor Aalok Mehta, who plays the character of Barnaby, an early Christian apostle, agrees. “The themes are universal. It’s about a revolutionary teacher followed by different types of people. There's something for everyone,” he says. Mehta also credits the filmmaking, writing, direction, cinematography, costume design and art direction for making it an entertaining watch. 

This premiere in India is particularly special because both Patel and Mehta are of Gujarati-origin, with Patel even donning a kutch-embroidered jacket for the interview. The two share their experience on set with The Hollywood Reporter India, bringing their parents to the screening, and what they’re most excited to do in Mumbai.

All seasons of 'The Chosen' are now available to stream on 'The Chosen' app.

Actors Aalok Mehta and Paras Patel at the screening of the second episode of 'The Chosen' season 4, at PVR ICON Infinity in Mumbai.

Paras, in a previous interview, you said that playing Matthew helped you find your purpose.

Paras: What’s interesting about Matthew is that he’s neurodivergent. That was a challenge for me and also what attracted me to the part. As an actor, I always try to bring a bit of myself into the role I’m playing, and I have always always questioned my purpose too. Why did I want to be an actor, and what was the goal? I'm very empathetic and through Matthew's journey of discovering his purpose, I found mine. There's a lot of things that he and I have in common; we’re analytical and overthink a lot. I'm also a finance guy, and Matthew's a former tax collector! 

Aalok: You're a great listener too, very observant and empathetic, like Matthew.

Paras: And Barnaby, the character Aalok plays, notices that because he and I have these small interactions on the show. Some of his lines observe Matthew in a way, but I know Aalok is seeing Paras as well.

Aalok: Much like our characters, I tend to talk a lot, foot-in-mouth, and annoy Paras. 

Paras: We are desi, so we all do the same thing! (laughs)

Speaking of, Aalok, how similar are you to Barnaby?

Aalok: Like Barnaby, I ease tension with comedy, maybe hide emotions through it as well. I also tend to shift between being very emotional and very comedic; I like to celebrate the things that I love. As seasons go by, Barnaby's a super fan of Jesus, almost like a mascot — he’s a fun-loving person, excited to see this ministry grow. I’m excited to see this show grow. 

Paras: Barnaby represents hope, especially in scenes like when his limp was healed. I can see Aalok in Barnaby because he’s very upbeat and positive. 

How do you relate to characters that symbolise abstract concepts like hope or redemption?

Paras: I think about what I've been through. I identify a lot with Matthew when it comes to not being seen or feeling accepted. Growing up as an Indian in America, I didn’t see myself represented in mainstream Hollywood. You just didn't know who your heroes were, you know? So when I played this role, it was important to me to be that hero for our future generation, and honour my childhood self in this way. Matthew doesn't know his own self-worth, but he's growing and learning along the way — through lessons of hope, teamwork and leadership. He's finding his own presence. 

Aalok: The writing is so rich and so clear. Some scenes do require personalisation, for which I have to prepare. But over the years we've built relationships with the other actors so there’s a lot of trust… and a belief in Dallas and the writers. So much so, that sometimes you can just show up, and it all clicks. Barnaby doesn’t have source material like Matthew or some of the other disciples, so there's more poetic licence. And this is probably the most collaborative set I've ever been on. Maybe it’s the intangible element of spirituality or divinity that is inherent in the storytelling, or the fact that people check their baggage at the door, showing up to be a part of something bigger than themselves. 

Besides Matthew and Barnaby, however, you’ve had very interesting career trajectories. Aalok, you are a sitar player who’s worked on a Broadway musical with AR Rahman, and Paras, you’ve acted in rom-coms like Teen Spirit (2011) and The Duff (2015). What have been your favourite projects so far?

Aalok: I would say The Chosen. 

Paras: Good answer. (laughs)

Aalok: No, no, seriously. This show has a fandom and a reach that is beyond anything else I've worked on. And it's a family. We film in Texas or Utah, so people leave their lives behind in a sense. We bonded quickly, and in the early days, we were all in the same hotel too. But I've been lucky to work on lots of different projects like Bombay Dreams, which was the first and only South Asian musical on Broadway [originally produced by Andrew Llyod Webber]. Working with AR Rahman was also a dream come true. But The Chosen checks all the boxes — it’s not just entertaining, it also has a message. 

Paras: I'm most interested in the characters and the writing. In The Chosen, I’m an ambassador of the neurodivergent and South Asian community. When I first started, I had a baby face so I was always booking the high school movies, and they were great stepping stones for me. But this show is different because of its global impact. I mean, we're in Mumbai for its premiere! We've been to Brazil, London and are about to head to the Philippines. I want to play roles that make people's hearts grow bigger. 

Tell us more about this ‘chosen’ family…

Paras: The cast and crew is so close because we've been through the wildest situations. While we were filming almost 12 to 14 hours a day outdoors in Texas, it was freezing cold sometimes. We were shivering and clenching our teeth to say the dialogues. But we're all in it together. We also have several funny bloopers in between scenes where someone does a line flub or happens to fart in the middle of a scene; those are the memories we’re going to take beyond the show.

Who have been some of your favourite directors to work with?

Aalok: I recently did a movie directed by the wonderful Rebecca Miller (daughter of Arthur Miller and wife to Daniel Day-Lewis) and what I really loved about her was her economy with words. That was challenging for me, to trust that maybe I don't need so much direction. And Dallas is definitely up there. 

I also got to work with director Gail Mancuso once, who’s worked on multiple episodes of Friends (1994), Seinfeld (1989) and Saturday Night Live (1975). It was a pilot that never saw the light of day, but she was amazing. I also just filmed a movie with and directed by Amy Schumer who just improvises and lets the camera roll. I like being challenged by different directors. 

Paras: What sets Dallas apart is that he knows what he wants. He's very connected to the source material — it comes from his heart. In the first take, he wants to see what you're bringing to it, before doing another one where he gives you notes. And then you merge it all on the third take. He and I connect really well.

What would you want the audience to take away from the show?

Paras: I want people to feel stronger about themselves. Just give it a chance — sometimes when you notice that it’s a historical drama, it might sound boring, but you never know. It's uplifting and inspiring; it can make you a better person, unafraid to shine your own light.

Aalok: I hope that by watching the show and digesting these age-old stories, that one can maybe look at their own lives and learn to be more selfless, trusting, and surrender to their own beliefs. 

What are you most excited about during your short trip to India? 

Paras: I haven't been back to India for 14 years. On my last trip here, I went to a New Year's Eve party at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu with [actor] Bipasha Basu performing!

Both Aalok and I have talked about how special this moment is, launching our show here; it's a full circle moment. I even got to bring my family to the premiere and I could see how proud they were, since we are so connected to our roots and heritage. I’m going to Gujarat soon, so my main goal right now is to eat as much pani puri as possible. Fafdas and theplas too.

Aalok: That was my answer! Like true Gujjus, eating theplas all around the world.