Actor-filmmaker Kashyap Baldev Shangari, known for his layered performances in Made in Heaven, The Fame Game and Shehar Lakhot, has made his Hollywood debut in Neil Burger’s 2025 espionage thriller Inheritance. Starting as a background dancer in Bollywood hits like Baadshah and Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Shangari’s journey has been one of quiet determination and artistic depth. In an exclusive conversation with , he reflected on embracing psychological tension over spectacle and finding belonging across cultures. Also an acclaimed short film director (Bittoo Escobar, Mumtaz), Shangari brings emotional intimacy to a film that bridges continents — and careers. Excerpts:Q. Congratulations on Inheritance! How does it feel to make your Hollywood debut in such a high-stakes thriller?A. Thank you — it feels surreal and quietly powerful. Inheritance isn’t just a thriller; it plays with silence, secrets, and human complexity in a way that’s subtle but deeply affecting. So to make my debut with something that leans into psychological tension rather than spectacle — that felt right. And to have a part in a story that travels across borders but still remains emotionally intimate… that’s been the real privilege.Q. What was it like sharing screen space with stars like Phoebe Dynevor and Rhys Ifans? Any memorable moments on set?A. Working with Phoebe was a gift. She brings this quiet power into a scene — she listens fully, reacts honestly, and that makes every moment feel alive. We had a few emotionally charged scenes together, and she held the space with such presence and generosity. I didn’t work with Rhys in a direct capacity, but having watched the film and knowing his incredible body of work, it’s a privilege to share credit on a project that also features him. He has this wild unpredictability as an actor — you feel like something dangerous and brilliant could happen at any second. Just to be in the same film as someone like him is a masterclass in itself.Q. Much of Inheritance was shot in India — how did it feel to work on an international project rooted in familiar locations?A. It felt like two worlds meeting in a very poetic way. You’re on home turf — the smells, the chaos, the light — but the gaze is different. The storytelling rhythm, the cultural lens, the emotional cues — they all feel fresh. There was a strange beauty in shooting something international but smelling the same monsoon rain I grew up with. It made me feel like I belonged to both worlds — the familiar and the foreign — and I didn’t have to choose between them.Q. From background dancer to Hollywood — your journey is inspiring. What’s been the biggest turning point in your career so far?A. The biggest turning point wasn’t one big moment — it was a slow turning inward. The shift came when I stopped waiting for the world to “discover” me and started showing up like I already belonged. Whether it was a small part or a lead, I began treating every frame like it mattered. There were key roles that helped — like Akshay Jaiswal in Made in Heaven or Dash in Code M. But more than the role, it was the mindset that changed. That’s what moved the needle.Q. You were a background dancer in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. Memories from watching Hrithik dancing during the shoot? Was there any inkling that it would be such a massive hit?A. Oh, I remember it vividly. Hrithik had this quiet intensity even then — focused, driven, but very grounded. When he danced, there was this sharpness and grace that felt different. You didn’t need hindsight — you knew something big was happening. I was a kid, just trying to keep up in the back row, but there was an unspoken electricity in the air. Did I know it would be a phenomenon? Not quite. But I felt I was part of something that had spark — and that feeling stays with you.