Dulquer Salmaan – The Most Charming And Talented Actor
The ever smiling and the ever charming Malyalam star – actor Dulquer Salmaan, who also happens to be the son of Malyalam superstar Mamooty, is currently all set to make his Bollywood debut in Karwaan with another talented actor Irrfan Khan. Now it remains to be seen how the two multitalented actor’s comic chemistry works on the celluloid silver screen. Dulquer Salmaan was also seen in the recently released Telugu – Tamil biopic Mahanati wherein he had enacted the role of the late veteran star – actor Gemini Ganesan, and which was also based on the life and times of the late legendary South Indian actress Savitri.
*You have already made a mark as a Malyalam star – actor. You also did a Tamil – Telugu bilingual namely Mahanati which was recently released and now you are all set to make your Bollywood Debut with Karwaan. Right!
*Right Sir!!! I had indeed wanted to make my Bollywood debut, but the clichéd answer was that I had been waiting anxiously for the right script which I had ultimately come across. So now I will finally be seen in debutante Akarsh Khurana’s directorial debut Karwaan which also stars the talented Bollywood nay international actor Irrfan Khan. I think Abhishek Bachchan was initially chosen for the role but he had to opt out as his dates clashed with J P Dutta’s film Paltan. And the next thing I knew was that I was approached for the comic role by Akarsh Khurana. I just liked the script and also my role in it and I instantly signed on the dotted line before giving a chance to Akarsh Khurana to have second thoughts of casting me.
*Fine! So what is your Bollywood debut movie Karwaan all about?
*Well! Kaarwaan is a light – hearted comedy, and it features me and Irrfan Khan as friends on a road trip. I am enacting the role of a Bangalore based youngster, that’s all I can reveal as of now. Mithila Palkar is also a part of the cast. Akarsh Khurana has also co – written the script with Hussain Dalal and Ronnie Screwvala is producing it under his own banner. The movie is almost finished and will be shown to the censors soon. And incidentally speaking Karwaan was shot in Mumbai, Kerala and Bengaluru.
*Your performance as the Tamil matinee idol Gemini Ganesan in Mahanati has really been appreciated a lot. What Say?
*The entire team of Mahanati knew that we were doing something important and something very special. To tell the story of this Tamil-Telugu cinema’s legendary actress Savitri was something that I had really believed in. This was a role away from my home territory in Kerala; hence it was an added challenge.
*Why do you look at Kerala as your home ground?
*Well, I’ve to agree that the demarcation lines are blurring. I won’t say there was a divide. But clearly Malayalam cinema has a narrower market than cinema in some other Indian languages. I was happy to expand into the Tamil market. And now into Telugu also with Mahanati and into Hindi as well with Karwaan.
*It seems that you really enjoyed working in the recently released Tamil – Telugu bilingual Mahanati!!!
*Actually speaking it has been my ardent desire for a long time to be a part of a period film. Amazing period is being captured in films and even in small screen serials in the West. For a long time I have desired to be a part of a period drama. But fortunately or unfortunately, in the Malayalam film industry, we don’t have huge budgets to make such period films. But Mahanati was being made on a massive scale and I was lucky to be a part of this project. It has been directed by Nag Ashwin and besides me it also starred Keerthy Suresh as Savitri, apart from Samantha Akkineni, Prakash Raj, Mohan Babu and Vijay Devarakonda, I was indeed thrilled to be working with a young team. Both the director and the producer were younger than me. It was a young team with so much of energy. I had always been against the idea of bilinguals but it made a lot of sense to make this film in 2 languages. In Mahanati I had enacted the role of Tamil star – actor Gemini Ganesan but frankly speaking I did not even look like him. I can’t, honestly, and I did not want to wear the prosthetics. My approach was simple. I just wanted to be myself in the phase of 1950’s if I was a big movie star. I never thought that I should even attempt to play Gemini Ganesan. You don’t really have any off – screen footage of him. You don’t know what kind of person he was off – screen. We only know his persona on screen and I did not want to use that to play him off – screen.
*How difficult was it to speak your own lines in Telugu?
*It was far more difficult getting the Telugu dialogues right than the Tamil ones. I have been dubbing my own lines in Tamil for some time now. In Telugu I had to practice the words, understand and absorb what I am saying and then speak them in the dubbing. I would think I got them right. But the next moment I would be told that something was not right. I would wonder what was wrong. Still I would do it again and again until it came out sounding right for the experts in the language.
*So moving on you really share a very good rapport with Rana Daggubati of “Bahubali” franchise fame. It is rumored that this was just a ploy to get a right foothold in Telugu Cinema. Would you care to elaborate!!!
*Yes I am indeed sharing a very good bonding with Rana Daggubati and it’s very natural. Believe me there is no selfish motive behind this. May be it’s my down to earth attitude and my ever smiling countenance that attracts them. But my friendship with Rana Daggubati is for keeps no matter what the rumor mills churn out. In fact I share a good camaraderie with all my male co – actors then be they from Malyalam, Telugu or Tamil film industry. And my female co – stars need not get upset as I would like to share a healthy friendship with them too, both on a personal as well as professional level.
*That apart you were also really happy doing Parava released recently. How come?
*Parava was supposed to be a real game changer. Comedian actor Soubin Shahir had made his debut as a director with Parava. Although I had an extended cameo of only 25 minutes I think it was a terrific film and I also think it was supposed to be a real game changer. It was another huge blessing that I got to be a part of this film and I thank my Allah – The Almighty daily for every chance I have been given. But I think my ardent fans did not like the movie. So it failed to make a mark on the Box Office turnstiles. No problem, I wish myself better luck next time.
*Ok! How was it working in Solo which was also released recently?
*Yes Solo has been finally released. I had great expectations from Solo too, as for me working in Solo was like working simultaneously in 8 films. Solo had been packaged with 4 stories and I had 4 different looks. Since Solo was a bilingual film in Tamil & Malayalam, it was like acting in 8 films at the same time. In O Kadhal Kanmani & Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, I had a bubbly energetic image but with Solo it changed. The film had 4 heroines including Dhanshikaa, Sruthi Hariharan, Neha and Aarthi. And though we had 4 heroines in the film, there were no ego hassles. 3 cinematographers and 11 music composers had also worked in Solo, besides our film had 15 songs.
*You have often been labeled as an arty hero. Why are you hesitant on donning the mantle of a commercial hero?
*Frankly speaking again I am more scared to attempt an out and out commercial film. As I feel it can either click all the way or go down all the way. So audiences will either like it or hate it. Besides I have always entertained the audiences with memorable content. So doing a film like Solo gives me more courage because irrespective of its Box – Office turnstiles fate, people at least appreciate the intent, its effort or just the desire to make a good cinema.
*How would you describe your filmic journey right from your debut film Second Show to your latest film Mahanati en route Solo and Parava?
*I would not like to describe my filmic journey with mind blowing adjectives suffice it to say that right from day one it was effortless and smooth sailing. No doubt I have gained a lot of enriching experience too. I also got a chance to work with the best of people. I am most happy that I ended up making a lot of good friends and I don’t think any enemies whatsoever.
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What is the main criterion for accepting a role?
*The right set up, the right script and the right role in defining my character that is the main criteria, I have for accepting a role. It has to offer me a challenge of some kind. Otherwise there is no point in doing a role. I would be very uncomfortable doing a safe part. Besides it would make me think something is wrong.
*Why have you chosen a career path very different from your father?
*It had to be different from his. I couldn’t possibly do what he had already done. He has a larger-than-life image. It made no sense to walk in his footsteps. There is a nothing like a “born actor”. It’s all about honing the skills. Duplication never works for anybody. Why would it have worked for me? I chose my own path because that was the only way to go. At the same time I’ve to admit there was an advantage in being my father’s son. The debut film came much easier to me than it would have if I was an outsider.
*Would you like to do a film with your father Mammooty?
*The thought has crossed the minds of many filmmakers. We’ve had quite a few offers to work together. But no, I don’t think that’s a good idea. The comparisons would be unacceptable to me. So unless it is something that offers a truly special challenge for us to come together it is unlikely that we will work together.
*Do you & your father discuss each other’s roles?
*I do talk to him about my work with him if I feel like. But nothing beyond the usual! We’d rather discuss other things when we are together.
*Name your 5 favorite films!!!
*I loved and enjoyed doing all the films of my career, so naming just 5 films will be an injustice to all my other films.
*Lastly name your forthcoming films?
*Oru Bhayankara Kamukam, Kerala Street and Bollywood film Kaarwan. There other films too which are still in on the floors.
