Sonil Dedhia (BOMBAY TIMES; May 13, 2016)
For someone without a 'filmi' background and godfather in Bollywood, Darshan Kumar found success with his first two films - Mary Kom and NH10. In his third outing, Sarbjit, the actor will be seen as a Pakistani lawyer. In an interview with BT, Darshan talks about his role, working with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and his friend Randeep Hooda. Excerpts:
How did Sarbjit happen?
I had worked with director Omung Kumar in Mary Kom and we share a good working relation. He offered me the role of real-life Pakistani lawyer, Awais Sheikh. While doing research, I was impressed with him as he had done an extraordinary job for the sake of humanity. Despite staying in Pakistan, he was fighting for Indian prisoners at the cost of his life.
What kind of research did you do for the role?
I didn't get a chance to meet Awaisji when we were filming as he stays in Sweden now. But I spoke to him over the phone and he gave me some vital inputs. I also saw some of his footage, observed the way he behaves and picked up his mannerisms. Also, I have been to Pakistan a couple of times for my plays. During my stay, I had interacted with the locals, so I knew their accent. I discovered that a lot of them speak Urdu with a touch of Punjabi, so I worked on my accent accordingly.
How was it sharing screen space with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?
It was a dream come true to work with her. On the first day, I was a little nervous but after giving my first shot, I found her to be co-operative. She is hardworking, dedicated and passionate about every scene. She wants each scene to be perfect, so she rehearses a lot. When you work with a person like her, who is so professional and humble, you are inspired to do better.
Randeep Hooda and you go a long way back to your theatre days.
We have trained under the same theatre group and had the same mentor - Naseeruddin Shah. We know each other's technique which made it easier for us to work in the film. Our off screen camaraderie can be seen on screen and we have some impactful scenes in the film. Randeep is a brilliant actor. According to me, this is the best performance of his career.
How has the success of your two films changed the industry's perception towards you?
Earlier, there were days when I was out of work. But now, filmmakers have started approaching me directly for roles. I am glad people have liked my work and given me such a positive response. It feels nice when eminent people from the industry appreciate my work. But on the other hand, it makes my job even tougher because now the expectation is higher.
How did Sarbjit happen?
I had worked with director Omung Kumar in Mary Kom and we share a good working relation. He offered me the role of real-life Pakistani lawyer, Awais Sheikh. While doing research, I was impressed with him as he had done an extraordinary job for the sake of humanity. Despite staying in Pakistan, he was fighting for Indian prisoners at the cost of his life.
What kind of research did you do for the role?
I didn't get a chance to meet Awaisji when we were filming as he stays in Sweden now. But I spoke to him over the phone and he gave me some vital inputs. I also saw some of his footage, observed the way he behaves and picked up his mannerisms. Also, I have been to Pakistan a couple of times for my plays. During my stay, I had interacted with the locals, so I knew their accent. I discovered that a lot of them speak Urdu with a touch of Punjabi, so I worked on my accent accordingly.
How was it sharing screen space with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?
It was a dream come true to work with her. On the first day, I was a little nervous but after giving my first shot, I found her to be co-operative. She is hardworking, dedicated and passionate about every scene. She wants each scene to be perfect, so she rehearses a lot. When you work with a person like her, who is so professional and humble, you are inspired to do better.
Randeep Hooda and you go a long way back to your theatre days.
We have trained under the same theatre group and had the same mentor - Naseeruddin Shah. We know each other's technique which made it easier for us to work in the film. Our off screen camaraderie can be seen on screen and we have some impactful scenes in the film. Randeep is a brilliant actor. According to me, this is the best performance of his career.
How has the success of your two films changed the industry's perception towards you?
Earlier, there were days when I was out of work. But now, filmmakers have started approaching me directly for roles. I am glad people have liked my work and given me such a positive response. It feels nice when eminent people from the industry appreciate my work. But on the other hand, it makes my job even tougher because now the expectation is higher.