Out of all the actors you have worked with so far, which one has your dream come true?
All the artists I have worked with are amazing. Everyone has their own style and style. I can’t point to just one. I’ve had the privilege of working with a lot of legends – be it Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Lanka’, or Priyanka Chopra Abhishek Bachchan in ‘Guru’ in ‘Fashion’, or Akshay Kumar and Ileana D’Cruz in ‘Rustom’, or Shahid Kapoor in ‘Kabir Singh’. ‘Tell Me O Khuda’, had a stellar star cast which included Rishi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, and Dharmendra. In this I was paired opposite Esha Deol. It was a great experience working with all of them.
What is that movie that changed your career forever?
I don’t think any film has been made so far that has changed my career for good. However, if there was one film that gave me a platform or allowed me to be an integral part of films, it was ‘fashion’. The film put me on the map. I was paired with Priyanka Chopra, who was already a huge star. It got a lot of eyeballs. People saw me as another actor who is part of the film business in the quintessential league or hero capacity.
A lot has changed as far as the content is concerned, especially on OTT. How do you see this change as an actor?
The content on OTT platforms is very different. There are so many stories that you couldn’t make up in movies. He is being said on OTT in a more detailed, relevant form and in a longer format. But, as an actor, I think there is no change in that. The format of the exhibition is different but the work process is the same. The drastic change I am seeing is near. Our Hindi movies are not released all over the world. Some places are unaware of Hindi cinema. With OTT, your film or series reaches far and wide. People sitting in other corners of the world can see your work. You have a far-reaching wide audience.
You have played both the protagonist and the antagonist in the movies. Which roles are you most attracted to and why?
It is part of your job to play both the antagonist and the protagonist. I have enjoyed playing both the roles equally. I am an actor so the main thing for me is to do justice to my character on screen. What I’ve learned over the years, however, is that playing a hero advances your career and helps you grow faster and farther. So my inclination to play more hero roles has become a priority.
A possible lockdown is hitting our heads again, what would that mean? Bollywood He’s just starting work again?
Bollywood does not need to stop. We can always take a break in case of any such situation of lockdown. We have learned in the last year and a half how to deal with it. If again any untoward scene happens, lockdown or any other wave, we just have to follow the SOPs prescribed by the government. Bollywood is no different from the society we live in. We are part of the same ecosystem. If other sectors stop their work, Bollywood will do the same. The soul does not die. We start from where we stopped. We pick things up again. That’s the great thing about our industry. That’s why it is said that whatever happens, the show should go on.
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