Born and brought up in India till the age of three and later shifted to Australia only to relocate back to Mumbai at the age of eight, Jim Sarbh did his schooling from the American School of Bombay. After that, he enrolled at Emory University in the United States of America and earned a degree in Psychology.
After earning a degree in Psychology, the Neerja actor, started working with Alliance Theatre in Atlanta as a literary intern. The actor working as an intern got a chance to showcase his talent by performing in plays such as The Show!, The Breakup, Tennis in Nablus in 2009. Sarbh returned to Mumbai in 2012 and started to perform at many local theatre productions. His incredible performance in Death of Salesman in the 2013 movie brought him into the limelight and under a lot of attention from the Bollywood industry. He was on Forbes India’s 30 under 30 lists in 2015.
The actor made his silver screen debut with Sonam Kapoor starrer biographical drama movie “Neerja” in 2016. For his outstanding performance, the actor went onto receive the Filmfare Award nomination International Indian Film Award, Screen Award, Stardust Award, and Zee Cine Award.
Later, Jim Sarbh outshined in the role of Malik Kafur; a gay character in Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor starrer “Padmaavat”. The actor went onto receive appreciation not only by his fans but the entire film fraternity too. Malik Kafur was Allaundin Khilj’s honest servant and Jim pretty much nailed that role as he received a Filmfare Award nomination also.
Even though Jim has a tiny part in Ranbir Kapoor starrer “Sanju”, he was successful in making an impact as a drug dealer. He also starred in OTT projects including Made in Heaven and House Arrest. He was in an international film The Wedding Guest which featured Radhika Apte and Dev Patel.
Recently in an interview, Jim mentioned that he is interested in playing the lead actor in a movie. He also said that he is ready to explore the different genres of the industry, including comedy, thrillers and much more. Jim stated that according to him, comedy is the hardest and a tight style to perform in. It needs everybody to be on the same page, including directors, actors, and editors. It’s all in the timing.
On asking about the scrutiny that comes along as baggage for the celebrities, Jim admits, ‘I just don’t think actors are good role models.”
He suggests that actors or celebrities look for attention and the kind of things, which isn’t something someone would aspire for, and sometimes the capitalist structures at play carve role models out of them to sell movies.
On commenting on his choice of roles, especially Malik Kafur and Aadil Khan, Jim mentioned that “I particularly totally exercise my right to be irresponsible. I want an actor to create moments for his part while simultaneously understanding and believing in the entire picture.
The Made in Heaven actor feels that he is a kind of actor that enjoys his freedom which allows him to flourish and develop his characters. He said that he looks out for the sort of role that has something different to offer and he looks for the script, unlike some actors who wish to work with a specific director. In on of his interviews, he mentioned that up until Sanju and Padmaavat, he uses to pick up whatever was offered to him but after the success of the movies and when people started to recognize and appreciate his talent, he began to get picker. He also mentioned that he began to get choosy because he was getting the same kind of roles that revolved around villain, murderer, rapist, paedophile, and so on.
Jim Sarbh was asked about the times when directors demand an actor to perform in a certain way where, on the contrary, the actual script requires the subtle version. To which the actor replied that the comfort level and mutual understanding between the directors and actors depend on giving in to the demands of a director or not. He stated, ‘There are directors who are incredibly demanding, and you have to go with it. Some directors are visual storytellers and are more worried about visual storytelling and the overall thing instead of moment-moment”
Jim Sarbh also starred in a music video by Prateek Kuhad titled “Cold Mess” which was a massive hit when it came out.
Recently, Jim Sarbh posted a picture on his social media account about a cover photoshoot the actor did for GQ Magazine. The time where we are tired of seeing the same masculine body with ripped abs on the covers of a magazine, Jim’s photoshoot is a breath of fresh air.
The actor can be seen sporting his signature salt and pepper hair with a glint of silver that sets him apart; the actor is for sure, succeeding in grabbing some attention. Another picture which he posted shows him in a black and white frame with Jonathan Van Ness-Esque silver eyeshadow and glistening brows.
