Mumbai May 13 (IANS) Actor Dulquer Salmaan the son of Malayalam superstar Mammootty says he likes roles that offer him a challenge of some kind and that he is very uncomfortable doing a safe part.
Dulquer s 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 actress 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."
Has he spoken his own lines in Telugu?
"Yes I have. And 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."
Quite a task?
"Yes 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."
Would he like to do a film with his father?
"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 " he said.
Do his father and he discuss each other s roles at the dinner table?
"I do talk to him about my work with him if I feel like. But nothing beyond the usual. We d rather discuss other things when we are together " said 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 said.
On spending time with his daughter he said: "She turned 1 on May 5. We don t believe in having a large birthday party. In any case she is too small right now to respond to a party. So we had a small family dinner and we took pictures in case some day she wants proof of her first day celebration."
--IANS
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