Saqib Saleem may have drawn inspiration from masala films but he picks films from different genres. His last film with sister Huma Qureshi was a box-office debacle but the Bombay Talkies actor believes that he does not want to repeat and be seen in a particular image. Ahead of his romantic comedy, Dil Junglee he talks about his early association with cinema and changing face of male hero in Hindi cinema.
Excerpts-
On the changing nature of storytelling in Bollywood
Audience had been asking for a change but the industry was not serving it. People enjoy watching different kinds of stories. A film like Shubh Mangal Savdhan could have been never a possibility if we were not having the conditions as they are today. Though my introduction to romance was with visuals of Shah Rukh Khan’s films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa but I feel like I cannot bring that ‘filminess’ in my romance as these days girls do not like it. Now love is not measured by the amount of time the actor was standing in rain waiting for the girl (laughs).
On his association with cinema while growing up in Delhi
Films played an important part in my growing up years but I never thought of becoming an actor. I was one of those Delhi’s avid Filmfare readers who used to believe in every story on Bollywood stars and their life always attracted me. I grew up in the 1990s and I love the masala films like Satte Pe Satta , Sholay and Deewar but I do not see them as commercial, indie or art house. If it entertains you, the film works for you. I have seen the best and worst of films of times. At one point, Ajay Devgn’s Haqeeqat was my favourite film. Such films made me melodramatic in real life!
On the changing face of the archetypal male hero
I am a big fan of 1990s romantic cinema where the hero is the centre of the film but I believe the newer films are giving ample space to understand the feelings of the female’s character of the film, which is great. I am personally a melodramatic hero who wants to propose for marriage in the middle of violins and roses. If I am playing a larger than life hero and do unbelievable actions, what difference am I making? Every other actor is doing the same. I have to make a mark for myself. I want to play a flawed hero as there is no black and white in it. There is a lot more scope for an actor to perform.
On his character in Dil Junglee
The audience has a consensus that the black and white binary in films does not exist. Like in Dil Junglee, the character of Sumit Uppal is flawed and that is enjoyable in playing too as you can relate to it more. People are like that and that is why they can accept such characters. If they can find and compare me with someone they know, it will be great. At first, the film was not called Dil Junglee. When the producer and director saw the film, they realised that these people are wild and hence this was titled like this.
On playing different shades
One cannot eat vanilla ice-cream daily, sometimes you eat chocolate and sometimes butterscotch. You only improve when you challenge yourself and go out of your ‘happy-zone’. Playing safe cannot get me anywhere. I do this because I love the chaos on the film set, lights on the sets really excite me and for that experience, I can do anything. I am not a trained actor; my training ground is the film set itself and I love watching my colleagues and senior actors perform. I believe audience should get a sense of surprise every time you come on the screen.
