Having Bachchanji as Gabbar Singh is inspiring: Mohanlal

Having Bachchanji as Gabbar Singh is inspiring: Mohanlal
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 13:41 IST
By Subhash K Jha, Santa Banta News Network
/> He is undoubtedly one of the best actors this country has produced. Softspoken, affable and gentle to the point of making you wonder how he could have played that passionate spectrum of characters in Malayalam, ranging from Akare and Chithram, to Minnaram and Nirnayam...

Mohanlal's Hindi-film appearance as the cerebral and intriguing police commissioner in Ramu's Company was widely appreciated. But it didn't really translate into a floodgate of opportunities in Hindi cinema for the self-effacing actor.

"I wasn't really offered anything exciting. And if I work in a language with which I'm not fully at home I need to work with directors like Priyadarshan (with whom I did Kala Pani in Hindi) and Ramu whom I'm comfortable with."

Now Mohanlal is all set to return to Hindi cinema..... in Sholay....or shall we say Ram Gopal Varma Ka Sholay.

"And again, I'm all set to play a cop," laughs Mohanlal. He's en route to Banaglore from Trivandram to shoot for his latest Malayalam film Naren where he plays a 73-year old man.

"Funnily enough my last film was Oyudon which means God . And now Naren means human. So that's quite a wide spectrum of characterizations.I'm more than happy with the opportunities I get in the South."

And how excited is versatile Mohanlal about playing the seething Thakur with the amputated hand in Sholay? "Ramu is a man of many ideas. When he called me up to offer the role of the Thakur in Sholay I wasn't very sure of how to react. Sholay is a film that I've seen more than once. Every character is so deeply embedded in the audience's mind. I wonder what Ramu will do!"

Mohanlal is also aware that his antagonist in the film will be played by none other than Amitabh Bachchan.

"Bachchanji as Gabbar Singh is really a thought that charges all my batteries. I've worked with the four greatest Southern stalwarts Sivaji Ganesan, Prem Nazir, Raj Kumar and Nageswara Rao. Bachchanji is like all four rolled into one, and more. It would be a truly exceptional experience to work with him in Sholay."

Was he looking at bettering Sanjeev Kumar's performance in the original? "Not really. I don't know what Ramu has in mind. I do know he's shifting the backdrop to the city. So there'll be inbuilt changes. My interpretation of the cop's role would be my own."

Adds Ram Gopal Varma, "After deciding on Mr Bachchan for Gabbar Singh I needed someone with a lot of understated selfconfidence and a quality of thehrao in his personality. In Mohanlal I saw the same qualities that made Sanjeev Kumar so memorable in Sholay. Of course he'll play the role in his own way. This is Ram Gopal Varma Ka Sholay, remember?"
Kali Shakti Unleashed: Usha Uthup's powerful comeback in mythological horror MAA starring Kajol, song out now!

The much-anticipated song ‘Kali Shakti’ from the upcoming mythological horror MAA has

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Sunny Deol Drops Behind-the-Scenes Glimpse from 'Border 2' Shoot!

‘Border 2’ Gains Momentum with Power-Packed Star Cast at Pune’s National Defence Academy

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Aap Jaisa Koi: R- Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh's Unconventional Romance Premieres on This Date!

Netflix India is bringing a refreshing twist to the romantic drama genre with its upcoming release

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Akshay Kumar's 'Welcome To The Jungle' Faces Major Delays Due to Financial Setbacks!

The much-anticipated third installment of the ‘Welcome’ film franchise, titled ‘Welcome To The

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Aamir Khan's 'Sitare Zameen Par' Cleared by Censor Board Without Cuts: Release Date Confirmed!

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is all set to return to the silver screen with his highly anticipated film ‘Sitare

Tuesday, June 17, 2025