Move over Krrish, the bona fide Bollywood superhero made popular by Hrithik Roshan, and make way for Flying Jatt, a bumbling, masked Punjabi vigilante, played by Tiger Shroff in a new film out this weekend.
“It’s a superhero film with a twist. It’s something that has never been done before. There’s a lot of heart and soul here,” says Shroff.
A blue latex bodysuit, a matching mask and a turban on his head later, the son of actor Jacky Shroff is ready to swoop in and take a swipe at the concept of superheroes.
Director Remo D’Souza describes A Flying Jatt, out in the UAE this Thursday, as a laugh riot led by an Indian superhero.
“Specifically, a Sardar who could fly, because they are known for their bravery and humour. My character has both in full force… There’s too much humour in the film. I sold this film to my producer [Ekta Kapoor] in five minutes. I told her: ‘my superhero is goofy, funny and scared of heights’,” says D’Souza. The trailer also shows the character petrified of his domineering mother (Amrita Singh) and doing household chores. For him, a broom isn’t a mode of transportation but just a cleaning aid.
To say that Bollywood is saturated with dazzling special effects-led superhero movies is a bit of a stretch. Apart from the odd Bollywood A-lister attempting to conquer the fantasy fiction world (think Shah Rukh Khan in the disastrous Ra.One, Abhishek Bachchan in the period piece Drona, another debacle, and Roshan in the hit Krrish series) there has not been much of explosive action from India’s biggest film industry.
“When something doesn’t work in Bollywood, the feeling that it is never going to work seeps in. So they stop making those kind of films because they are scared of attempting that genre again … But I believe if you come up with the right script, anything is possible,” said D’Souza. The idea to make a goofy superhero had been on his mind for several years.
A Flying Jatt, made on a modest budget of Rs400 million (Dh21.82 million), is not buoyed by A-listers who usually guarantee a strong weekend box office debut.
Both Shroff and his co-star Jacqueline Fernandez are still finding their feet in Bollywood, with their dancing skills and bodies analysed more than their acting skills.
“It was very difficult mentally, emotionally and physically. I have never been so pushed for any of my films so far. The action that you see in this film is on another level … We have fought on air, land and water,” said Shroff, who was last seen in the painful romance, Baaghi.
During a joint interview, Shroff was doodling the figure Rs1.4 billion, perhaps an indication of the box office figure that he hopes to achieve.
A giggly Fernandez chimed in with: “He’s a superhero that will make you laugh and cry. He will make you enjoy all that action and romance in his life. He will make you laugh a lot with him and sometimes at him. It’s a film that everyone in the family can watch together.”
So is his character inspired by Deadpool, the potty-mouthed superhero recently played by Ryan Reynolds?
“Not many people in India have seen that film… Tiger isn’t potty-mouthed here. Maybe it’s a kid’s Deadpool” said D’Souza with a laugh.
While Fernandez loved Reynolds’ anti-hero project, Shroff enjoyed the bits that he had seen of the Hollywood hit.
But its makers insists that the similarity ends with the goofiness that’s intrinsic to the leading man in both films.
“We are not taking ourselves too seriously in this film and that was something that is absolutely refreshing from what I have done in the past. Remo sir gave me scope to do something very different and challenging. When the director is real, you can always connect to his characters,” said Shroff, who has grown up on a staple of Bruce Lee films.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the latex suit that was the most challenging to pour into (Shroff wasn’t allowed to put on or lose weight during the filming as the suit was customised for a certain built). Executing the underwater stunts took it out of the actors. And to set the record straight, Shroff isn’t a trained martial artist or Taekwondo (Korean martial arts) champion, as online profiles suggest.
“I pick up stunts quickly, though, and I used to take part in such competitions back in school. But that’s about it.”
His co-star Fernandez is quick to talk him up and said that he doesn’t need superpowers since his body is super-flexible. But most of her words were lost among all her giggling. The Sri Lankan actress plays a teacher in this film.
“For the first time in my career, I am playing a role [that’s] like me in real life. She’s strong, loud and bubbly and yes, she falls in love with the Flying Jatt.”
Judging by their jovial nature, credit has to be given to D’Souza for extracting work out of theo newcomers.
D’Souza met Shroff while working out at a gym in Mumbai and they hit if off instantly.
“Tiger was always my first choice for this role… They were both great throughout the shooting. I always tell my actors that I want them to be natural. Just be normal because this is a simple film and people will love you for being relatable and endearing. That will be our biggest strength,” said D’ Souza.
What superpower do you wish for?
Jacqueline Fernandez: “I wish I could control time.”
Tiger Shroff: “I wish I could fly, because the traffic in Mumbai is crazy.”
Who is Jacqueline Fernadez’ real-life superhero?
“My dad is my superhero in my life. I have watched him do two jobs a day. He never took a day off in his entire life. I have seen him struggle at work and he even won an award at work for not taking a day off in his career. And, he’s nice to everyone and has taught us not be rude or violent. Always put others first, he said.”
