'My personality has inspired filmmakers to write strong characters for me' 

Seldom do we hear of an actor who can fit the bill as both hero and villain. However, Thakur Anoop Singh, seems to have cracked this code. The actor, who entered tinsel town with the Tamil film Si3, also made his mark in Telugu and Hindi with films like Winner, Commando 2 and Rogue. He is now preparing for his next outing in Kannada, the Darshan-starrer Yajamana, which features him as a villain. Meanwhile, he will also be seen as a full-fledged hero in Sunil Kumar Desai’s Udhgarsha.  

“Hero or villain, my intention is to win the hearts of the audience through my varied roles,” says the actor, who feels lucky to have had prominence in every film he has been part of. “My winning the Mr World title in 2015 created a buzz among filmmakers. I’m privileged to have bagged some good roles as a consequence. I feel my personality has also inspired filmmakers to write strong characters for me,” he adds. 

Anoop also has a Bhutanese action-drama to his credit, and he will soon be debuting in a Marathi film. In addition, he is also a professional singer, and hopes to prove his versatility. “While I make a good hero, I can make an equally good villain. Unlike old-school villains like Pran or Ranjith, today, even villains do have something good to do in films. And this will be seen in my role in Yajamana too.” 

On his upcoming film, he says that the makers have projected him in a ‘powerful and dominating role’ opposite Darshan. “I just have to believe in the emotions of the character I play. Even if I am playing a villain, I imagine myself as a hero in every scenario. Of course, at no point do I deviate from the story.”

Anoop prefers playing a hero over a villain only because he feels that as male leads there’s no limitation. “In case of villains, there are certain restrictions,” says the actor, who has drawn inspiration from stars he has associated with. “One common thread I have noticed between actors Suriya, Allu Arjun and now Darshan, is that they are very normal and humble, and it is a quality I want to take home.”

After Si3, Anoop feels that the way he has been projected in Yajamana is on the ‘next level.’ “A large amount has been spent on my looks and style. They kept in mind the way I carry myself, and minute details have been taken care of, which makes my character very unique. The clash between Darshan and me is something interesting to watch out for,” he says. 

The actor is also thrilled that he was able to dub in his own voice for Yajamana, despite Kannada being a new language for him. “It adds authenticity to my character. I used to request director V Harikrishna to send me the lines in advance to memorise them. I also realised that unless you feel the emotions of the role, you can’t learn them by rote. Whether Tamil, Telugu or Kannada, I have always requested the script in advance because I don’t like prompting from anyone. It distracts me,” he says. 

Anoop is preparing himself to watch the first day, first show of the film along with the masses. “On the sets, I have seen the kind of fan following Darshan has. So I am sure it is going to be a celebration, which I want to witness at a local theatre. Later in the evening, I will be taking my family—who are coming from Mumbai—for another show,” he says, adding that he is getting vibes that the film will be a “blockbuster” after the success of the trailer.