For Suvinder Vicky, Awarapan 2 is a giant step forward in many ways. The rugged-looking, earthy actor who achieved national recognition with Kohrra (2023), asserts that he doesn't want to box himself into any labels. He tells us that this was a major reason he decided to join the Emraan Hashmi-starrer. Recalling the first time he watched the original Awarapan (2007), Suvinder says with that he was in his mid-30s when he watched the film. “It’s still considered relatively young,” he says with a chuckle. “The music and its mood stayed with me.”
Suvinder was wrapping up his shoot for the Netflix series Glory when he received a call from Vishesh Films for Awarapan 2, he recalls, “My daughter is in her 20s now. So, when this opportunity came, I felt fortunate to be part of the project that carries forward the Awarapan universe for the next generation. While Emraan Hashmi continues to be the link, as effective as ever. It was a delight to work with everyone, be it director Nitin Kakkar, writer Bilal Siddiqui, or producer Vishesh Bhatt.”
Suvinder, who began his career in Punjabi cinema in the mid-2000s, first found acclaim with his performances in intense roles in off-beat films like Chauthi Koot (2015) and Meel Patthar (2020). Does the acting process or approach differ significantly for a commercial project like Awarapan 2? Suvinder responds, “It’s often perceived that heavy roles are more complex to perform. But sometimes, even the simplest of characters can become more challenging. It can become more difficult to create something impactful out of seemingly easy or mainstream roles. But that’s also the fun part — you then want to find ways to make your part interesting.”
At the same time, Suvinder labels himself as an actor who cannot be laidback or easy-going in his preparation for any character. He elaborates, “I have seen many actors who can easily snap in and out of a role — I cannot do that. I like to take time to prepare and immerse myself in a role, to get into the mood of a character. On sets, I always ask the team to inform me 10 minutes before a shot is ready. I cannot take it casually.”
Which role, then, has been the most challenging experience of his career so far? Suvinder reflects on Chauthi Koot, the 2015 film by indie filmmaker Gurvinder Singh, which required a unique type of effort. The Kohrra actor explains, “I come from a theatre background, which traditionally requires a very highly-pitched, melodramatic style of acting. However, when Gurvinder approached me, he was very specific about a muted style of performance. His is the Mani Kaul school of filmmaking and acting, and he always prefers non-actors for his films. Whereas, as actors, our goal is to always ‘show’ our acting. In Chauthi Koot, that was the challenge — to act like a ‘non-actor.’”
Incidentally, Suvinder reunites with Gurvinder this year in the upcoming film Rehmat, in which he will also be seen alongside Naseeruddin Shah. Recalling the experience, Suvinder states, “We have grown up hearing stories about them. I even performed for one of those plays written by Ibrahim Alkazi, which he (Naseeruddin) originally performed at NSD. When we were about to leave for the first day of shoot for Rehmat, I was too intimidated to share the same car with Naseer saab. Eventually when we spoke, the first thing I nervously blurted was how blessed I was feeling to be working with him. And as he spoke, to hear him use a phrase like ‘suljhe hue kalakaar’ (evolved artist) for me in his trademark heavy bass voice, was such an honourable moment for me.”
We ask Suvinder if as an actor, he feels curious to see how people respond to his work, or does he prefer to remain detached about it. He replies that he has a ‘dual personality’ when it comes to tracking ‘audience reaction.’ He explains, “Obviously we like to be told and find approval from people. I like to read the appreciations, and also not get too immersed in it. But I make sure to respond to my DMs with a ‘Namaste’ emoji atleast. Sometimes people have even asked if it is actually me handling the account or a manager-figure. I don’t have a PR team.”
It hasn’t always been about compliments and praises though, Suvinder tells us, recalling the response received when Pataal Lok (2020) released, in which he had a brief but crucial appearance. The actor recalls, “It was a negative role, with me doing some dastardly deeds while wearing a parna (turban). Many people responded to it very critically. Not many people knew me then, nor had my career taken off yet. That’s when I began to realise that I need to be a little careful in the way I choose my roles and enact them.”
Now with such consistent praise, has he become more careful or selective in his career choices? Suvinder candidly reflects, “Honestly, I haven’t really had the chance to be so selective in my roles, nor the need to be very careful. I haven’t planned anything. Obviously, things have changed in a major way since Kohrra, but I’ve also spent a lot of time waiting for roles. Whatever work I have been receiving post-Kohrra has been good in terms of quality. I want every kind of cinema to be part of my diet, and I hope to reach a point where I get so many roles that I am forced to reject some. I just remain grateful that things worked out in this way.”