‘The Fact that I Wasn’t Very Fit Added an Extra Dimension to my Character’
Anurag Kashyap on his role in Dacoit
The filmmaker and actor, who has made a mark in Bollywood, gets candid about his experience in Tollywood, acting alongside Adivi Sesh.
Q What was it like working with Adivi Sesh in Dacoit?
He is very sincere about performance, about getting it right. He will push himself and others till he achieves that. It was good for me, because I didn’t know the Telugu language and I did things I hadn’t done before.
Q I understand you had some really tough action sequences?
Shooting action was tough for me. My physical limitations often resulted in injuries. Added to that, I was playing a barefoot character called Swami. Running barefoot in slush and mud and over rocks and road was hard. The fact that I was not very fit added another dimension to my character.
Q You mean a comical touch to the evil?
Swami is not a meanie. He is an antagonist to the protagonists’ love story in a way, but he’s not really the villain in the film. Swami is an idealist and a good cop.
Q You are primarily a director. Where does acting fit in?
I enjoy making films at any time. Acting is more of a job that I have to do sincerely; throw myself in and go along with the director.
Q Now that you have moved from Mumbai to Bengaluru, are you more at peace with yourself?
Yes, I am more at peace and have more time to myself. I watch films more now, I read and write, and do things that normal people do.
Q So what and when will you direct next?
I haven’t decided. But it won’t be anytime soon. Let all the tentpole blockbusters come and go, and then I’ll decide what to do. The world is changing rapidly and so is cinema. Within this changing scenario I need to find meaning in what I want to do.
