No topic or question could faze the impeccably composed South Indian star Dulquer Salmaan who was in Dubai on Thursday to premiere his Solo with director Bejoy Nambiar.
But that placid demeanour dissolved when the subject of ‘nepotism’ was broached. Salmaan is the son of the iconic Malayalam actor Mammootty who has acted in over 300 films, in a prolific career spanning three decades.
His father, 66, continues to enjoy tremendous clout and commands a whopping box office opening just by his mere presence.
But his son — who could be at risk at being reduced as a poster child of privilege — will have none of that N-word debate.
“Oh my God, isn’t it overdone these days? Bad on you for asking me that. It’s cliched to the core,” said Salmaan animatedly.
But when you point out that his father is one of the biggest stars in the country and has the power to get him roles, he relents.
“I have never taken it [films] as my birthright and that is what has helped me survive here or get work. Even to this day — I am 25 to 26 movies old — I have never thought it is my right to get films. It’s a privilege to be here and the only fault is that I am the son of a megastar and that’s OK,” said Salmaan.
He presents the example of this journalist’s daughter who may harbour writing ambitions in future, saying nepotism could see this parent makes unreasonable demands with her existing company to hire the daughter.
“At the end of the day, you need to work hard and have some level of luck. But being a part of a lucky gene pool is not going to get you nothing in life,” said Salmaan.
His latest release, Solo, is a fine example of merit triumphing over dynasty politics.
Director Bejoy Nambiar, who is known for his dark and dysfunctional Bollywood films such as his thrillers Shaitaan and Wazir, cherry-picked Salmaan to play four varied roles in his South Indian debut.
Salmaan will spearhead unconnected tales of love, forbidden relationships and rage in this anthology related to four elements of the Indian deity Shiva including Earth, fire, wind and water.
Excerpts from our interview with the actor who plays Shiva, Trilok, Rudra as he talks movies, his teenage angst and his career...
What are your thoughts on premiering Solo in Tamil and Malayalam in Dubai?
I have always loved Dubai and I am looking for excuses to come here. I have lived here in this city for two and a half years [as an entrepreneur] before entering films, so it’s always comforting and nostalgic to come here. It is nice to bring my films here because I will be seen in a different capacity.
You dominate every frame of Solo as you play four roles in one film. Does that make it challenging?
I am excited because it gives me great joy and confidence to know that someone like Bejoy [Nambiar, director] believes that I can do such a film. As actors we are constantly questioning ourselves and we need people who believe in us and that pushes us to work better. From the word go, Bejoy had a lot of clarity in what the film is all about. Personally, if a film doesn’t challenge me, then I am not doing something right. I don’t want to coast through a film. It’s a great privilege to be an actor and have movies made with you in it. I want to be grateful for that and do justice to it. I have to challenge myself because the audiences nowadays expects a lot from a film.
Speaking of discerning audiences, what do you think of tweet reviews — that one sentence could make or break a film?
Initially, it used to worry me because it was my year of work that you are tweeting about. I have given it my everything — my heart and soul — and you are just writing it off. Then as I continued doing films, it got better. The harshest of the reviews have a different agenda. I don’t think any film is that bad that you get so offensive and angry about it. Then I am sure, it’s some other issue. Another thought: ‘hey, you are only tweeting about it. I am actually doing those things, working really hard and pushing myself. I don’t have Sundays or holidays, I work non-stop, round the clock and that amounts to something. Over time, I will have a body of work and if I am lucky it will feature some amazing movies entertaining a great deal of people. This person [reviewer] will be tweeting still.’
In this anthology of four stories, how did you distance yourself from the roles that required you channel your rage and anger?
It’s very draining to play an angry person. You are only seeing the part where I am getting angry in a film for an X amount of time, but that scene may have required a lot of re-takes and filming from various angles. By the end of filming, I am so tired being angry for the film that I am too exhausted to feel anything. I don’t take that baggage back home. But in school when I was a younger, I thought it was cool to be angry and short-tempered. I thought it was cool to curse and abuse. Then I realised that nobody liked me and that I didn’t have any friends. Then, I got my temper in check and till now I have a good control over it. Now, it’s more challenging to look angry. When I did Kalli [2016 blockbuster where he played a hero with anger-management issues] with Samirka [director Samir Thahir], I kept asking him if I was doing OK and whether I was convincing as an angry person. These days, I am usually keeping it in or bottling it up.
Was there a no-go zone when you agreed to act in a Bejoy Nambiar film, a director who is known for his dysfunctional dramas?
Not at all. As actors, you thrive from going to places you have never been. When someone says, you have done a great job as an actor, it’s usually with films that are dark, physically intensive, loud or brooding. As actors, these are things that we revel in. If I stick to the same roles, your question will be worded differently. You would be asking if I am bored of doing those saccharine, chocolate-boy roles. I don’t want to be in a box, I want to be in a bunch of boxes.
Are you open to the idea of acting in a web series on Netflix or any other platform?
It will depend on the idea and the makers. It’s very new and all the web platforms — whether it is Netflix in India — are still finding their footing. But it is an interesting time for actor. The girl in Karwan [his Bollywood debut yet to be released], Mithila Parker, is very popular after her web series. I do believe that watching web series is the only time that people have these days. Even me, although I love car videos, I watch it for eight to ten minutes and don’t want to watch 20 minutes of it. That is a great time frame which affords you some form of entertainment. But nothing can take you away from the cinemas or a good films. Movies are where I want to be and that’s my primary focus. But I would never say never.
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Don’t miss it!
Solo is out now in UAE cinemas.
Wondering what kind of a father is Dulquer Salmaan to his five-month-old daughter?
The actor claims he’s a paranoid dad who’s constantly worried if his baby is safe. For instance, checking if a crib will hold his child safe or whether there are sharp edges in a room are his top priority.
What did we think of Solo?
Solo is an overtly stylish film that concentrates on style over substance. Out of the four stories that play out, the tale revolving around Trilok as he avenges his wife’s death is gripping. The last chapter, featuring Salmaan as a military officer, isn’t shabby either. But it’s an indulgent film. Watch this if you are a Salmaan fan.
Did you know?
Solo is doing brisk business in the UAE box office. According to local distributors Phars Films, Salmaan’s Solo recorded 31,000 admissions over its opening weekend. It ranked second after the Hollywood film, The Foreigner, and outdid Blade Runner 2049’s box office number, which was 23,000 admissions.
