In an exclusive interview, actor Mayur More — widely recognised for his breakout role in ‘Kota Factory’ — opened up about a daring moment on the sets of his upcoming web series ‘Black, White & Grey – Love Kills’. Mayur’s body double refused to perform the risky river jump during the shoot of a high-stakes climax scene set on the banks of the River Ganges. Undeterred, the actor chose to dive in himself, showcasing his commitment to the role.

Days ahead of the series’s premiere on Sony LIV, Mayur spoke exclusively to Mathrubhumi about the incident where his body double refused to perform the stunt. Recalling the episode, Mayur told us, “We were filming an important scene in Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), where my character has to jump in a river. It was the peak winter season when we were shooting, meaning the River Ganga’s water was extremely cold. My body double, after he jumped for the first couple of times in the water, backed out, saying he would not be able to do it since it was freezing cold. When he flatly refused to do it, the director asked me if I could do the scene myself, and I said I would try to perform my best.”

The act of jumping might sound simple, but it wasn’t in reality, said Mayur, thanks to the cold water. “When I jumped for the first time, it felt like my body froze in the water. For the second time, the crew was trying to keep me warm, but I had to take another plunge. Eventually, after several jumps, we got the shot we wanted, and when I came out of the water, I sat before a bonfire. Previously, I used to say that I love winters, but since those river jumps, my perception has changed,” he added.

Among the many things that are dear to Mayur about this upcoming series, working alongside acclaimed filmmaker-actor Tigmanshu Dhulia is one of his memorable times. Calling it a learning experience, Mayur spoke about how he would have conversations with Tigmanshu on the sets. “The kind of experience that he has, his background, the kind of films he has made, and his involvement in some acclaimed works of the industry are very exciting. ‘Bandit Queen’ is one of my favourite films. It’s such a beautiful film, which makes me wonder why such films are not being made in India anymore. It’s not like we can’t make it; it’s an Indian film. For me, it’s the best biopic that has been made in India. Since he was the casting director for the movie, I asked him why the Indian film industry is not making such films anymore.” "It was a great learning experience," he concluded.

On the work front, after the release of ‘Black, White & Grey - Love Kills’, in which Mayur plays the leading role, he will next be seen in director Trushant Ingle’s Marathi film ‘Jijai’. The film is set for a theatrical release in June.