Dulquer Salmaan says he is very uncomfortable doing safe roles

The actor's performance as the Tamil matinee idol Gemini Ganesan in Mahanati has caught a lot of attention
Dulquer Salmaan says he is very uncomfortable doing safe roles

Dulquer Salmaan, son of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, says he likes roles that offer him a challenge of some kind. His performance as the Tamil matinee idol Gemini Ganesan in Mahanati has caught a lot of attention.

"We all knew we were doing something important, something very special. To tell the story of this Tamil-Telugu cinema's legendary actor Savitri was something I believed in. This was a role away from my home territory in Kerala, hence an added challenge," said the Malayalam actor.

"I've to agree that the demarcation lines are blurring. I won't say there was a divide. But clearly, Malayalam cinema has a narrower market than cinema in some other Indian languages. I was happy to expand into the Tamil market. And now into Telugu with Mahanati and into Hindi as well."

He has dubbed for himself in Telugu for the film. "It was far more difficult getting the Telugu dialogues than Tamil. I've been dubbing my own lines in Tamil for some time now. In Telugu, I had to practise the words, understand and absorb what I am saying and then speak them in the dubbing. I would think I got them right. But I'd be told something was not right. I would wonder what was wrong. Still, I'd do it again and again until it came out sounding right for the experts in the language."

He agrees that it  was quite a task. "But then that is the main criteria I have for accepting a role. It has to offer me a challenge of some kind. Otherwise, there is no point in doing a role. I would be very uncomfortable doing a safe part. It would make me think something is wrong," he said.

He has chosen a career path very different from his father. Was that deliberate? "It had to be different from his. I couldn't possibly do what he had already done. He has a larger-than-life image. It made no sense to walk in his footsteps. There is nothing like a ‘born actor'. It's all about honing the skills. Duplication never works for anybody. Why would it have worked for me? I chose my own path because that was the only way to go. At the same time, I've to admit there was an advantage in being my fathers's son. The debut film came much easier to me than it would have if I was an outsider."

Asked if he would like to do a film with his father, he says, "The thought has crossed the minds of many filmmakers. We've had quite a few offers to work together. But no. I don't think that's a good idea. The comparisons would be unacceptable to me. So unless it is something that offers a truly special challenge for us to come together, it is unlikely that we will work together."

"I do talk to him about my work with my father if I feel like. But nothing beyond the usual. We'd rather discuss other things when we are together," adds Dulquer.

How does his wife cope with all his female fan following? "There is nothing there that is threatening or embarrassing. It's all very sweet and harmless. No one has suddenly landed up at my home threatening to break my door down," he says.

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