It’s been 12 years since your debut film and you’ve gone on record to say that Singham again felt like a new beginning. What exactly did you mean by it?
You know actually people have started calling it 2.0 so then it made me realize you know when people look at you and say it’s your comeback or your 2.0 or a new start, then it makes you introspect and think about it. I never thought about it like that while doing the film. But you kind of realize there is an inherent love that people had that they were cheering for you from the sidelines. They wanted the film to succeed. They wanted you to succeed and be appreciated and that it sort of feels like a new phase in your life because there was a lull in my connection with the audience. I was still doing my work but it just wasn’t resonating with the audience at that point of time. Especially because I started my career with that kind of love and overwhelming reactions to my films. It kind of feels like the connection that I had began with has returned. So I guess it’s a new connection or it’s a reconnect. It’s also a new phase in my life I guess.
Why do you feel like it’s a new phase? What has changed?
You know I mean after 12 years you’re not going to be pursuing the same things that you were pursuing as a kid. I think it’s an unforgiving profession where some times risks don’t pan out and the consequences are there for all to see. So I guess in that sense it’s a new phase for me where I want to take more risks, I want to have more fun, I want to play different characters. And Danger Lanka being appreciated the way it was, validates the fact that you should take chances. You can fail but if you succeed then there is tremendous love.
What were the thoughts before saying yes to a character like Danger Lanka?
I mean the thing is it came to me at a time where perhaps I needed to break the monotony and maybe just do something unique. So I knew the audience enjoys this, but still to take a risk and play an out-and-out bad guy, as you call it, an antagonist or an unhinged negative force. I just felt this is the time. If I don’t do it now I’ll never be able to do it. Also, I always believed you should follow your instinct and impulse and when I heard the role, it felt like even if I appear for 30 minutes people are only talking about my character. So, I somehow knew that the character is prominent and important. And the way Rohit sir had imagined it, it gave me the confidence and excitement to do it. So I think I took a chance because the director had this vision for me. He believed in me even when he could have chosen anybody else perhaps. He chose me because he had a certain vision and a certain thought process about how to present me. So, I went with Rohit Shetty’s conviction and sometimes you need another person’s conviction. So I always wanted to play an antagonist, I think there’s no better film now in retrospect than the one I chose to do. I just went and followed my heart because I wanted to work with Rohit Shetty for a long time. I wanted to be part of his world. I just feel Singham, as a world I’ve enjoyed. So the viewer inside me was really excited about this film. I also know that people who come in to watch the film, perhaps did not only come to see me. And if they came to watch Suryavanshi, Simmba, Singham and they left with a bit of Danger Lanka, I would have been happy. They left with quite a bit of Danger Lanka, so I’m happier.
So the prep, of course, was to be very, very clear about the fact that I don’t want to be a villain, I don’t want to make a fool out of the character. And Rohit sir was also very clear that he wanted a certain calmness in the chaos that he’s creating. He’s honest and justifies his beliefs. I played Danger Lanka as a hero. I didn’t play him as a victim of the circumstances. I played him as a guy who’s looking for revenge.
For the first time in a long time, maybe when the film was releasing, I wasn’t really thinking about the consequences of the film. I was just… I think I was hoping that in all this, like I said, people are going to come in and watch this film. I hope they enjoy what I’ve done and they appreciate what I’ve done. That was the only thought in my mind, that I was looking forward to seeing the reaction. Also, you get a bit numb, you know, when you do such a big film. You just become a bit numb to it because there’s not much of marketing that you can do.
You know, the film in itself is a giant. So you’re kind of numb to it.
Post release, there was a lot of buzz around your character. How does it feel to be a part of the second biggest hit of 2024?
I’m actually really keen to do an out and out comedy soon hopefully. Because that’s something that I enjoy doing but I don’t think I’ve done enough of.
Are you open to do something on OTT as well?
This year, I’ve actually not taken a holiday. So, I’m really looking forward to figuring out my New Year holidays. Which I’ve secured with my family. Hopefully, we’ll figure out a place to go to. We always agree to disagree. There are various options. The time is running out. We’ll have to find a place to go, get flight tickets and hotel booking. That’s the fun of being able to enjoy your success with your friends and family. I’m really looking forward to the end of the year holidays. Which I feel is well deserved.
