Packing a punch

Action gives him a high, says martial arts expert Vidyut Jamwal whose Commando released this week

Vidyut Jammwal

Two years ago when model-actor Vidyut Jamwal made his debut in the John Abraham action film Force , one would be excused for thinking that he would be overshadowed by the actor who was reinventing himself as an action hero. But the antagonist of the film stood his ground and made people sit up and notice. Vidyut made such an impressive debut that his producer Vipul Shah decided that whenever he makes an action film, he’d cast him in it! “I honestly thought he was not serious but to my shock, he did come back within five months of our conversation!” says Vidyut, whose solo film Commando , an action drama, releases this Friday.

“I think the story of my life is all about zero expectations. I had no expectations at all from Force . I had no expectations that I’d get my second film so soon. Definitely didn’t know it’d have me as the hero. But I’ve got it,” says the actor, who underwent training in Kalaripayattu in Kerala from the age of three. “Later I turned to gymnastics and now it is Jiu-jitsu,” says Vidyut, who has become a talking point in the web world for his action shots that clearly show no use of cable wires or body doubles. “I have always nursed the dream of being India’s action star.”

Possibly, he’s close to that now considering he’s taking calls about

Commando from international media. “ It’s surreal, almost like my film. Expect the unexpected.” Reiterating that he doesn’t like to plan his life, Vidyut says, “I will take whatever comes my way but I want action to be part of my life. I will grab it with both hands!” Besides

Commando , he has Tigmanshu Dhulia’s

Bullet Raja with Saif Ali Khan. “Tigmanshu is known for casting hardcore actors, so it’s a big high that he thought I made the cut. I play an inspector in the film — honest and upright. It has tonnes of action too!” he smiles.