You got a promising start in Mardaani. Does that put pressure on you to keep up the good work
Yes, there is always a pressure to do something different with the role one is given. With my work in Mardaani being well-received, I am more aware than ever that I have to keep the game up. I don’t want to disappoint myself as an actor first and let my audience down. Also, as an artiste I feel that I perform best under pressure. So yes, there is pressure but that’s what keeps me going.
You come from an Air Force background. What made you opt for acting
I spent my childhood all over the country. In certain parts where I grew up, films were this fantasy world. I remember how as I kid I would love stories of every kind — whether they were narrated in school or what I read in books. Storytelling would always appeal to me, I would take part in poetry reciting, dramatics, choreography and debates. There was this fascination for performance, which finally culminated in a professional sphere. If you want to live a fulfilling life, then you have to do something that motivates you and also earns you a living. So eventually I moved to Mumbai to pursue it full-time.
What made you choose a villainous role for a debut
It would be egoistic of me to say I chose. I think Mumbai is a place where your choices choose you and that’s what happened with me as well. When Pradeep Sarkar and YRF came to me with the part, there was no way that I could have refused it. Also, this was a villain who was treated like a boy next door, who dressed cool, was an upper middle class Delhi boy. It would confuse the audience — is he a good guy or a bad one After finishing the shoot, I was apprehensive of how the girls would react — they are 50 per cent of your audience. But they came out saying they love the guy but hate the character. And that was pay-off for the director, casting director and me.
Your character in Force 2 also has grey shades. Don’t you fear getting typecast I have been asked this before and my answer is no. My character in Force 2 is entirely different from that of Mardaani. When people see the film, they’ll see the difference. I want to do all kinds of roles — comedy; romantic comedy is something I really want to try, then of course there’s full-fledged action. At the moment, I feel it’s a good time for the villain in Bollywood. I am doing the kind of roles that our audience is now opening up to. Things are not black and white anymore. The imperfections make characters interesting. I like to play roles that have a shade of reality in them. In real life no one’s all good and no one’s all bad either. Rani Mukerji was the leading actress in your debut film. Has that set the bar high for other leading ladies in your film Oh yes, definitely. Having Rani ma’am on the set was great because I was supposed to be in awe of someone who has that kind of authority and that she brought in effortlessly. She has spoilt me. She could be eating and chatting on the set and then within three minutes she would be ready for the shot. When you are new, it takes 15-20 to do that. So I am spoilt as I have seen someone that efficient and now if I am with an actor who is not up to that level, I have to remind myself that it won’t be that kind of dream scenario every time. YRF can be too perfect an experience that way. Now that I am working with Sonakshi and John, it is like I am with two college seniors who are laughing and cracking jokes all the time, and I have to take sides. So that too is really fun and interesting. Who are the leading ladies you want to work with All of them. It’s a great time to be a young male actor in the industry purely because there are interesting roles being written for women too and they are not just there for you to romance them. That’s empowering for both the sexes. As a newcomer, what do you have to say about the industry It’s an absolutely amazing time to be a newcomer, because of the cinema that is being written. For actors in my age group and category, there’s work for everyone. We are very fortunate to be living in a country where going to the movies is like a ritual and there will always be an audience hungry for new and better content. It’s a good time because of the chances and choices the producers are taking. Your female fan following is quite impressive for someone who is just one film old. What’s your kind of girl (Smiles) I am drawn to the personality, more than the appearance. The girl has got to be spunky, someone I can have a conversation with. There’s got to be something more than meets the eye — like is she an artist, does she like to dance, or is she a photographer. When you are sitting across the table with her, does she engage you I am the kind of person who also likes to spend time alone, reading or listening to music. So the kind of girl I would like to spend time with is someone who can just blend in. What’s the craziest fan moment you’ve had Two girls chasing me on a scooter on Carter Road saying “will you marry me ” They wanted to take selfies too. I think it was both embarrassing and flattering at the same time because I was with a bunch of friends. It was the kind of thing you read about in papers. So it was funny. But by now you must be used to the attention No, it will take me a while to get used to that. I still blush and get thrown off. I feel the pressure. In a way it’s humbling and also flattering and motivating that there are people out there who know you and want to know what you are doing next.
