If you’ve seen the Badla trailer, chances are you have seen Tony Luke. The Malayali actor shares screen space with Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu in the soon-to-be released film. And Tony, understandably, can’t contain his excitement especially because he didn’t expect to land the role.
“When I was asked to audition for the role, I didn’t do it immediately because I didn’t think I would get it. I am not from the Hindi belt, for starters, and it was too huge a project. Also I didn’t want to get my hopes up. The casting director called me more than once, which is when I thought may be I should,” says the actor on phone from Mumbai. Also he had been introduced to the makers by Jeethu Joseph, who gave him his first big break in films, in Oozham . “I didn’t want to get into trouble with Jeethu!” he says, laughing.
Acting was never part of the plan for the engineering graduate who made his way into modelling, in Europe and Asia. He had stumbled into modelling while doing a post-graduate course in the United Kingdom. After stints, as model, in countries such as Italy, France, Germany and Austria he returned to India, to Mumbai where he modelled for five years before returning to Kerala. He came back with plans to study ahead and settle down, when a friend called telling him that film-maker Vinod Bharathan was looking for an actor for a role in his film, Karma Cartel .
“Acting was never part of my plan. I have friends, models, who tried acting and films and couldn’t make a go of it so I thought I’d rather focus my energy elsewhere.” Destiny however had other plans. That role in Karma Cartel changed his mind about films. Tony had earlier said no when Jeethu Joseph, a family friend, asked if Tony would be interested in films.
Post Karma Cartel , buoyed by confidence he auditioned for, and landed, Oozham . Sakhavu followed, then Aadhi which then led him to 9 . “ Aadhi was a small but significant role, which was well-received. In Sakhavu I acted as a 40-45 year old man and in Oozham , a man in his twenties. I realise I could deliver. Aadhi was my breakthrough film.”
Again it was through Jeethu that he landed his Bollywood film. Jeethu wanted to cast him in a bigger role in his Bollywood venture - Body ( Rishi Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi), when Sunir Khetarpal, one of the producers, suggested Tony be used in another film.
He was on a schedule break from 9 when he got a call from Mumbai. That call led him to sending the audition videos to Mumbai; clueless about the role he sent four versions - as victim, hero, villain, and a drunkard (‘just for fun’) - and forgot all about it. Until he was called for a meeting in Mumbai with Sujoy Ghosh.
“When I heard it was Sujoy, I knew I had hit jackpot!” he says excitedly. He remembers the director being very respectful, “Instead of the audition I was expecting, he discussed the script with me and answered all my questions. It ended with him asking me if I wanted to do the role. Two weeks later I was shooting in Scotland.” He also lost 10 kilos to buff up for the role and even brushed up his Hindi.
Tony cannot reveal much about the role, just that the story pivots around his character. “I am the catalyst for the action, the characters in the film are layered and that is the beauty of the film.” It is not just films, he is on the cusp for bigger things - he in talks with the makers of an international web series.
So is it bye bye to Malayalam? “No! I will never leave Malayalam films.”
Of acting with Big B: “It was amazing, being in the same room with a legend. There is this magnetism to him, an electric energy in the room when he is present. He is very humble and has an amazing sense of humour. He jokes around with the every one, he was very nice to me on my first day. It’s a moment with him I will cherish.”
With Taapsee Pannu: “She is a veteran actress, she is experienced and solid in her performance. I learnt a lot from her and she is a lady super star.”
