Satyajeet Dubey On Why Simulacra Couldn't Have Arrived At A Better Time

What is real, and what is artificial? This is a question mankind grapples with on a daily basis today, in a world that is increasingly being dominated by generative AI. We catch ourselves wondering: Did that really happen? And even if it did, did it take place exactly how it's being portrayed or have some elements been manipulated? 

When I first saw Simulacra in 2023, it was still being edited, and yet the core idea it wrestled with was exactly this. The general consensus in the theatre then was 'the movie is ahead of its time'. 

In the years since that evening, the world of Simulacra has become the world we live in on a daily basis. Scrolling through social media today, it's nearly impossible to tell what's authentic from what's been generated by AI. And increasingly, that uncertainty turns inward - we start questioning our own records, our own memories, wondering if what we think we know to be true is actually true.

That's the territory debutant director Pankaj Sawant’s film stakes out remarkably well, largely through its lead, Nayan, a man carrying the memories of a great romance in his neural memory vault, memories that Nivi, the woman he loves (played by Akshara Haasan), simply doesn't share.

It's a role that isn't physically demanding so much as psychologically complex - actor Satyajeet Dubey has to play, essentially, multiple versions of the same person, signalling in subtle ways when Nayan is grounded in something true and when he's living inside a fiction of his own making. He pulls it off with real precision, which shouldn't surprise anyone who's followed his work. He's built a career on complicated, interior characters, from Dr. Ahaan Mirza in Mumbai Diaries to Parth Acharya in Bestseller and an incredible performance as Vinayak Chawla in Aye Zindagi.

The film is set to premiere exclusively on Waves OTT on July 17th, and is already being hailed as a brilliant exploration of the sci-fi genre in Indian cinema. 

In a conversation with Esquire, Dubey opened up about the process of making Simulacra, the early days on set, and how the experience of creating it changed him.

I watched a screening of Simulacra almost three years ago, and it genuinely felt ahead of its time. Now that it’s finally releasing and the real world has caught up to a lot of what the film explores, how does that feel for you as an actor watching that gap close?

First of all, thank you for calling Simulacra ahead of its time. That means a lot. I genuinely believe the universe has its own timing. As actors, we naturally want our work to reach audiences as soon as it’s complete because every film carries years of effort, emotion, and belief. So yes, the wait can be frustrating. But looking at where we are today, with AI becoming an integral part of our daily lives, I honestly feel there couldn’t have been a better time for Simulacra to be released.

When you choose to work with new filmmakers and fresh voices, the journey to release isn’t always straightforward. Without the backing of an established production house, it can take time for a film to find its audience. But that’s a chance I’ve always been happy to take if I believe in the story. Today, more than anything, I’m happy for our writer and director, Pankaj Sawant. This is his first feature film, and I’m genuinely excited that audiences will finally get to experience it on Waves OTT. I hope the film resonates with people, especially younger audiences, because the questions it asks about AI, technology, and reality have only become more relevant with time.

Simulacra is a film that is doing something so innovative and interesting - it is exploring tech, data, dreams, and reality without being gimmicky. It’s taking sci-fi seriously but is also a romance in a way. Was that difficult to achieve?

I think it was a very fine balance to strike. At its core, Simulacra explores the idea that our dreams, memories, thoughts, even the narrative of our lives, eventually become data, and how that data can be manipulated. But the film isn’t really about technology alone. It’s about human beings and the emotional cost of embracing technology in the name of evolution without always thinking about its consequences.

For me, that’s what makes the film interesting. Science fiction works only because it’s rooted in human emotions. If you focus only on sci-fi, it can start feeling cold and artificial. If you lean only into the romance, then it stops being the film it set out to be. Finding that balance was definitely challenging, but that’s where Pankaj Sawant’s clarity as a writer and director really helped. I also believe films become gimmicky only when they’re chasing a trend without truly understanding the subject. That wasn’t the case with Simulacra. 

What was your headspace like while playing Nayan? Was there a moment during shooting where the themes of the film (not being able to trust your own memory or reality) started messing with your own head a little?

As an actor, your job is to become the advocate of your character, regardless of whether they’re right, wrong, or somewhere in the grey. You know the entire story as an actor, but the character doesn’t. That’s what made Nayan so fascinating. 

Throughout the film, Nayan is trying to understand whether his memories are real, whether he’s being manipulated, whether technology is affecting him, or whether he’s the one manipulating others. It felt like solving a jigsaw puzzle. There were moments during the shoot when I’d stop and ask Pankaj, “Which layer of reality is Nayan operating in right now?” It wasn’t physically demanding as much as it was mentally exhausting. 

I’m a huge fan of films like The Matrix, Shutter Island, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Vanilla Sky, and Black Mirror. Those stories have always fascinated me because they constantly challenge your perception of reality. In many ways, Nayan feels like he’s cut from that same fabric, and collaborating with Pankaj on building that world was incredibly fulfilling.

And yes, there were times when it genuinely messed with my head. (Laughs). It gave me a few headaches, not going to lie. But that’s part of the process, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

What was it like building that dynamic with Akshara opposite you? What convinced you she was right for this?

I think the dynamic between Nayan and Nivi was one of the most important aspects of the film. We spent a lot of time reading the script together and understanding who these two people were before we started shooting. We also have some long one-take scenes, so there wasn’t any room to fake the chemistry. It had to feel real.

Akshara has a very striking screen presence, and I felt her eyes and overall persona suited Nivi beautifully. She brought a lot of conviction, honesty, and sincerity to the role, and I think audiences will really appreciate what she’s done with the character. Ultimately, as actors, our job is to serve the story. When everyone is committed to the same vision, you’re not trying to make yourself look good, you’re trying to make the film as truthful and believable as possible.

Take me through the arc of this project - from when Pankaj first narrated it to you, through that early screening for friends and family, to now putting it out into the world on OTT. What changed for you personally over that journey?

When I met Pankaj for the first time, he didn’t just narrate the film, he gave me an audio visual presentation with references that brought his world to life. I’ll be honest, I didn’t completely understand every layer of the story in the first sitting. I had a lot of questions. But I was completely drawn into the world he was trying to create. His conviction was infectious, and it became an instant yes for me.

The making of Simulacra was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. We shot the entire film across the UK in just 23 days with a limited budget, a small crew, and very little margin for error. Personally, this journey changed me in many ways. I was involved with the film from its earliest stages, so it became much more than just another acting assignment. It reminded me that being the lead actor also means taking responsibility for the energy you bring to the set, the collaboration you build, and the kind of stories you choose to stand behind.

You’ve built a reputation for picking roles with real conviction, and you’re someone who speaks up for what you believe personally too. Does that come from the same place? Does your own sense of what matters shape which projects you say yes to?

Yes, I think both come from the same place. At my core, I operate with love, honesty, and conviction. It’s easy to become cynical in this industry, especially without strong backing or quick success. But I’ve always believed that if I keep improving, the right stories and collaborators will find me. As Rumi said, “What you seek is seeking you.”

If a script gives me 50 percent, I add the rest; if it gives me 100, I push it further. I enjoy adding layers that may not exist on paper. My goal isn’t just personal satisfaction, but to justify the trust my directors and producers place in me. I’ve been fortunate to work with filmmakers who value that commitment.

From Prassthanam and Mumbai Diaries to Kerry on Kutton, Aye Zindagi, and Simulacra, each project has challenged me differently, but all explore deeply human themes - identity, purpose, resilience, and truth.

The same conviction guides my personal life. I believe artists shouldn’t disconnect from the world. Art reflects, questions, and challenges society. If something matters to me, I speak about it with empathy and respect, knowing that honest kindness is better than saying what people want to hear.

At the end of the day, whether choosing a role or expressing an opinion, I ask myself: Do I truly believe in this? If yes, I give it everything I have.