Playing a terrorist was a dark and exhaustive experience for Prateik Babbar, but the actor is hopeful his second innings in Bollywood will prove more fruitful as Mulk readies for release.
“I was looking to resurrect my career in films and I went to [director] Anubhav Sinha looking for a job,” says Babbar. “I was honest about my work, managed an audition and he took a chance on me.”
The son of legendary actors Raj Babbar and the late Smita Patil, the young prodigy kicked off his Bollywood career in the 2008 Aamir Khan production Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. Yet, 10 years later, the actor has yet to find a firm grip in the film industry. His battle with substance abuse over the last few years saw Babbar all but disappear from films until now, as he returns to play a terrorist in Mulk.
“I did a lot of homework when I got on board to understand a terrorist’s psyche,” admits Babbar. “The dark places that I needed to go to, a lot of it was drawn from my own life and my misled youth.
“Playing such a dark role takes a piece out of you. I was so exhausted, but nothing mattered except for my director and his appreciation.”
The actor also credits his fiance for helping him with the background research for Mulk. She pointed Babbar to the TV series The State, which chronicles the experiences of four British Muslims who fly to Syria to join Daesh.
Ask Babbar whether he knew that a film such as Mulk, which tackles the race and religion bias in India would become such a heated talking point in India, so much so that film director Sinha and Taapsee Pannu would be subjected to threats and the actor appears shocked.
“I had no idea things had gone that far. Yes, we knew that the subject we were tackling was bold but threats is taking things too far,” he says. “I guess, in a way, our film is tackling this growing intolerance in society today and I hope our film presents itself as a talking point in a positive manner.”
