Sunil Grover: Tandav was a brand new world for me as an actor

More than the viewers, Sunil Grover is worked up to see himself in a special avatar in Tandav. The actor, who rose to fame along with his comedian avatars on tv, is ready to play a crafty, ruthless character Gurpal within the Amazon Prime Video unique sequence. Grover can be seen enjoying Samar’s (Saif Ali Khan) most trusted man, who has a harmful and secret previous.
In an unique chat with indianexpress.com, Sunil Grover spoke about breaking out from his humorous picture, engaged on multi-starrers, collaborating with director Ali Abbas Zafar and extra.
Excerpts from the dialog…
Tell us one thing about Tandav and your function.
Firstly, I really feel actually blissful and fortunate for being a part of this lovely present. It’s a fictionalised work based mostly on the world of politics. Gurpal Chauhan is a really completely different function from what you’ll have seen me doing however I actually can’t inform a lot about it.
As for Tandav, everyone seems to be working to realize energy and the chair, and the present provides an perception into what precisely occurs behind the curtains. It’s a critical drama however if you watch it, you realise it’s very humane, and that’s when you’ll relate and interact with it.
Breaking out out of your comedy picture or working with such a stellar star solid – what was extra thrilling for you?
Honestly, I by no means although one thing like this may come my means. Ali referred to as me and I used to be so excited, given it was a brand new world for me. What made me extra keen was the boldness he had that I might do one thing like this. I had this record of issues I didn’t need to do anymore for a very long time. And given Gurpal is a really completely different half from what I’ve completed, or been supplied, Tandav was thrilling for me. The solid in fact is an incredible one, and I had an exquisite time working with them. It’s at all times an enriching expertise to be with such nice actors. All I can hope now’s that the chemistry can translate nicely on display screen, and the viewers enjoys watching it.

When you’re employed with such a giant solid, does the concern of being misplaced within the crowd ever creep in your thoughts?
There isn’t any concern in any respect. Rather than considering of getting misplaced I take it as a giant alternative to be a part of one thing so fantastic. That’s an incredible factor for any actor. Also, one ought to have belief within the script and the makers. Gurpal is a really outlined character, who stands by his personal. Since it was so contemporary even for me, I’m positive the viewers will even take discover.
You appear to have most scenes with Saif Ali Khan. How was the expertise working with him?
Yes, Gurpal belongs to the identical social gathering as Samar Pratap Singh (Khan’s character). It was superb to work with him. He is such a devoted, passionate actor. Saif has completed a lot work however has the vitality of a newcomer. He is aware of the script and is at all times nicely ready. Also, I bear in mind, even when others would shoot for his or her shut ups, he would keep round to present cues. That was very candy and type of him. I by no means felt he was such a profound actor, who has seen the world. His contemporary method in the direction of his work was a studying for me.
It’s your second collaboration with Ali Abbaz Zafar. How was it working with him once more?
He is as sarcastic as he was, there’s no change in that (laughs) It’s at all times beautiful working with him given he’s so approachable and simple going. You can at all times have a wholesome dialogue with him. He is calm but has a lot enjoyable along with his staff. Also, Ali is aware of his script so nicely and designs them earlier than he comes on set. Hence, it turns into very simple for actors to carry out on his imaginative and prescient. Having labored with him earlier, I additionally share a robust belief issue with him, and I do know no matter he’ll do can be good for me, and the challenge.

What aspect of the coed politics will we see in Tandav. And what’s your tackle it?
The present will current the ability recreation, and the way scholar and politics at centre overlap in an attention-grabbing means. As for me, I by no means understood politics then, and neither do I now. I’ve at all times tried to impersonate them and their speeches, and I nonetheless do the identical. However, I really feel the seed of politics will get ingrained at this stage, and we are able to all hope that the ability reaches the proper hand. That’s how they get skilled to turn into future world leaders.
The teaser had a dialogue- Iss desh ko ek hello chiz chalati hai, rajneeti. Aur jo pradhan mantri hai wahi iss desh ka raja hai. Will there be any reference to the present authorities?
Not in any respect, Tandav is ready fully in a fiction world. There isn’t any reference to a political social gathering. The line that you’re mentioning has been stated via a personality’s viewpoint. The present or me, personally don’t consider in the identical.
What does Tandav imply to you?
It is a dance type, which is kind of aggressive. And all of us use it as a metaphor to explain one thing that creates havoc. In the present, you will notice how the starvation recreation to realize energy results in the dance of agony.

If you got an opportunity to play a political determine, who would you selected?
If you ask me to repeat somebody’s mannerism, I can do it however I want to play a fictional character. Just that the story and character needs to be thrilling for me. However, if I get to play the lead in a biopic of our historic heroes and leaders, I might love to try this.
2020 noticed some superb content material being helmed on the net area. As an actor, how a lot does the medium excite you?
Its a brand new medium which is rising very quickly. Also, there’s numerous freedom, creatively and time clever. A maker can inform an extended story, and thus it provides higher scope to actors to play their characters. However, it additionally comes with a giant problem of retaining the viewers’s consideration for such a very long time. It is a problem largely for writers, after which in fact the actors and director. Over the final couple of years, we did get to see some thoughts blowing content material and performances, and I hope you all like Tandav too.
Recently the digital medium has been put below the I&B Ministry. Do you suppose that may curb its freedom?
We must abide with no matter new rules that come our means. Personally, I really feel that somethings needs to be left to the viewers’s discretion. They know what they need to see and may have the choice to selected. There are some content material, that in fact, could cause a dent in our society however aside from that, I believe tales which might deliver a couple of change needs to be promoted nicely. Stories that present the mirror to society, and can assist acquire some progressive ideas. I believe there have been numerous matters which have been a taboo however via net sequence, it grew to become a dinner desk dialogue. And that’s what we want proper now.

Produced by Himanshu Kishan Mehra and Ali Abbas Zafar, the nine-episode political drama additionally options Dimple Kapadia, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Gauahar Khan, Amyra Dastur, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Kritika Kamra, Sarah Jane Dias, Sandhya Mridul, Annup Sonii, Hitten Ttejwani, Paresh Pahuja and Shonali Nagrani amongst others. It will begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video from January 15.