Malayalam and Tamil star Dulquer Salmaan, also known as DQ, is ready to make his debut in Bollywood with Karwaan opposite Irrfan Khan. Having made his Malayalam cinema debut with Second Show (2012), the actor has worked in films like Bangalore Days (2014), O Kadhal Kanmani (2015) and Kammatipaadam (2016).
In a conversation with Times of India, DQ talks about everything from his thoughts on Karwaan, to how he chooses films, what he feels about nepotism and why stardom does not affect him.
Despite Karwaan being Dulquer’s first film in Bollywood, the actor does not think he’s “making a debut” or “being launched.” For him, being part of a memorable film is more important.
When asked what scared him the most, the actor confessed that he is not very fluent in Hindi, so he found it difficult to improvise.
DQ emphasises that he does not mind doing a role that is not the main lead as long as it is important in terms of the narrative. For him, it is more important to do a challenging role in a memorable film than just a conventional lead role.
Moreover, the actor is averse to the idea of stardom. “I am just a movie buff who acts in movies,” he asserts. The way he sees it, he does not have a fan following: just normal viewers of his film. In fact, he is a fan of many Malayalam superstars, and says that he can never even compare himself to them and view himself as a star like them.
While nepotism is a trending debate in Bollywood, it has never been much of an issue in the Malayalam industry. DQ explains that there have typically never been second generation actors in Malayalam cinema. One gains fame as an actor by chance, and the chances of that fame passing down a generation are very low.
Citing the example of Prem Nazir’s son, Dulquer states that most star kids who have tried to join the industry have just not made it.
Additionally, he says that the kind of films made in the 1990s are entirely different from those made today. “I could never imagine myself being part of those movies,” DQ shares. He is grateful for the new brand of directors who changed the style of story-telling, making it more realistic and plausible.
DQ’s main challenge is striking a balance between Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi film industries. He shares his experience of having to manage his time and juggle shoot dates.
The actor will now be playing the role of MS Dhoni in The Zoya Factor, oppposite Sonam Kapoor. When asked if he is taking any tips from Dhoni or Virat Kohli to get into the character’s skin, DQ said that he would add his own personality to the role.
(Source: Times of India)
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