Vicky Kaushal, who received praise for his cameo performance in filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki, recently revealed why he agreed to do such a small role in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer.
In an interview with The Week Magazine, Vicky shared how he has long admired Hirani's work and wanted to work with him.
He told the publication, "I told Raju sir (Rajkumar Hirani) that even if he had wanted me to simply pass by unnoticed, I would happily do that as well... My father (action director) Sham Kaushal was working on Dunki, and because Sukhi (Vicky’s character) had that fire sequence, my father asked Hirani who was playing the part. He wanted to know, ‘Mujhe kisko jalaana hai? (Whom should I light on fire?)'. So Hirani said he wanted somebody like Vicky but did not offer it to me because he thought it was a small role. When my dad came home, I asked him how the meeting went. He recounted the (interaction with Hirani) and I said, ‘Really?’ The very next day, I called Raju sir and told him if it had to be somebody like me, then why not me? I landed up in his office that very day and said yes without even listening to the script. The first time I saw the full film was during the screening. I only knew my part.”
“I was happy to see Punjab like that after a long time. I told Raju sir that, at a time when everything is gritty and real, where we see the problems and struggles of states, he actually gave a vibrant, colourful charm to Punjab. That moment when Taapsee’s character removes her shoes and wants to feel the earth in her hometown upon returning from abroad after decades, that was special to me,” the actor added.
Dunki stars Shah Rukh, Taapsee Pannu, Boman Irani, Anil Grover, and Vikram Kochhar in the lead roles.
The film is an immigration drama that follows an ex-soldier who helps his friends in Punjab navigate the immigration process, guiding them on a risky journey to enter the UK without permission as they struggle to clear the legal process.
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