From an aspiring star with a big attitude, Randeep Hooda has evolved into an actor hungry for meaty parts. Last year he impressed with his portrayal of Charles Sobhraj. The film tanked but Randeep won hearts. If Sobhraj was about style and atmospherics, Highway was about losing oneself into the character. He did it with aplomb. Of late Randeep is active on the social media voicing his concern on the cycle of violence that immersed his home state Haryana. Even as we wait for Sarbjit, Randeep turns up in the capital to promote his latest film Laal Rang.
Edited excerpts:
What is “Laal Rang” trying to say?
The film is not a dark drama but a light-hearted film with Haryanvi humour. The film revolves around illegal selling of blood through an organised syndicate. It is based on incidents that happened in Karnal. It is a universal subject as everyone knows the importance of blood. In India, there is a biased mindset towards blood donation –– we want to buy the blood but do not want to donate. That is how these touts come into existence. They coax poor and needy into blood donation by offering them money and then sell it with a margin, and if it is a dengue season, it’s bonus time.
You are playing a Haryanvi for the first time
Initially, I thought it is my mother tongue; it would be easier for me to get the dialect and the tone. But when I started shooting, I realised that I have been outside Haryana for more than 20 years now which puts me in the same footing as others. I had to put all my efforts to bring out the character as it reminded me of my college days spent there. I realised that you can take a boy out of Haryana but cannot take Haryana out of a boy (laughs).
Though I am playing the character of blood mafia in the film but I did not meet any of them in person. Co-writer Pankaj Matta used to work in the blood bank and he researched the subject brilliantly which made it easier for me to get under the skin of the role. The producer needed a promotional song for the film and because of my swag they insisted I do a rap in the song.
Do you think a film contributes to making an image of a place in the mind of viewers?
The image of Haryana has been highly maligned in the media due to Khap panchayat, honour killing, female infanticide and the recent riots. Some movies also contribute in building that image. But if we see Datto's character in Tanu Weds Manu Return, it introduced audiences to the other Haryana by being blunt in attitude but gullible and innocent at heart. I am sure films like this and the upcoming Dangal and Sultan will bring out the vibrant and humorous side of Haryana too.
2016 is packed with biopics including your much-waited biopic “Sarabjit”
I have done a biopic, Rang Rasiya, and that was acclaimed in 2008 too. I agree that there is a change in narratives in the industry and this change signifies that we are hungry for our own stories and we have stopped aping the West for making good cinema. We are discovering our own stories and celebrating our culture. The audience is getting mature as it is receiving reality-based cinema with much vigour. In my view, if facts are not distorted and if it is a good story, the audience will love it.
Also, the stories set in small towns are gaining box office success
I always like films which are based in small, real cities and not in a vacuum as it introduces the audience to a language and culture. That is where the flick and cinema differ as cinema is more about the culture. There are some unique bonds like Marne marne wali dosti and strong notions like Zindagi me sirf ek bar pyar which are somewhere lost in big cities but still present in smaller centres. If these carefully knitted emotions are presented well, the film has more impact on the viewers and becomes the reason for the success of the film.
Your mother is associated with Bharatiya Janata Party and you openly spoke on the Jat agitation. Don’t you think the method of getting the reservation in Haryana has sent a wrong message to the country?
Though my mother is a ground level worker in BJP, I am not a political person to decide whether the quota should be there or not. The agitation which Jat community was doing for the reservation was not a new movement but it was there since 1992.
This year, it started with the reservation issue but it turned into a riot and everybody got involved in it. I condemn every bit of violence . Now, when the agitation is over after loss of lives and property, I want people to live together in harmony and rebuild what has been lost to regain the glory.
