‘I’m The Boss Man Of All The Villains’

‘Jitendra
Pratap
Singh
(his
character
in
Vedaa)
believes
in
the
divisive
politics
of
society
and
that
is
more
dangerous
than
the
regular
goons.’

Abhishek
Banerjee
began
his
acting
career
a
decade
ago
while
he
was
still
juggling
inner
workings
of
the
film
industry
as
a
casting
director.

While
acting
was
always
Plan
A,
the
casting
job
was
a
result
of
his
pragmatic
mind.

In
2015,
he
established
Casting
Bay,
a
joint
enterprise
with
his
friend
Anmol
Ahuja
that
cast
actors
for
films,
ads
and
Web
shows.

Plan
A,
however,
was
never
stowed
away.

Starting
with
small
opportunities,
Abhishek
transformed
into
a
versatile
actor,
weaving
effortlessly
between
comedy
and
drama,
and
proving
his
talent
in
both
comedy
(Stree,
Bhediya,
Dream
Girl)
as
well
as
eccentric
characters
(Ajji,
Paatal
Lok,
Apurva).

It
marks
an
exciting
point
in
time
in
Abhishek’s
career
as
he
gears
up
for
the
release
of

Stree
2
and

Vedaa,
both
arriving
this
Independence
Day.

“To
be
in
two
movies
which
are
polar
opposite
from
each
other,
from
two
much
loved
genres,
and
to
play
pivotal
parts
in
both
the
films,
what
more
can
an
outsider
want?”
Abhishek
asks

Mayur
Sanap/Rediff.com.

The
first
of
a
multi-part
interview:

It
must
be
a
surreal
feeling
to
have
two
releases
on
the
same
day.
What’s
the
excitement
like?

Yeah,
it
just
shows
that
outsiders
also
have
a
space
in
the
industry.
I
think
it
puts
the
debate
to
rest.

As
a
casting
director,
I
have
always
told
youngsters
never
to
lose
hope
and
find
ways
to
get
wherever
you
want
to
get.

It’s
very
exciting
for
somebody
who
belongs
to
a
middle
class,
government
job
family,
coming
from
Kharagpur
to
Delhi,
and
dreaming
that
he
will
become
an
actor
in
Mumbai.

To
be
in
two
movies
which
are
polar
opposite
from
each
other,
from
two
much
loved
genres,
and
to
play
pivotal
parts
in
both
the
films,
what
more
can
an
outsider
want?

You
are
the
OG
character
of
the
Maddock
Supernatural
Universe,
which
keeps
occurring
in
different
films.
How
do
you
make
sure
you
are
not
bored
of
playing
the
same
role
again?

(Stree
Director)
Amar
Kaushik
has
to
make
sure
of
that.

I’m
never
going
to
be
bored
playing
a
character
which
is
written
so
nicely.

Yeah,
if
it
was
just
another
story
and
just
another
sequel,
I
would
have
been
bored.
But
this
is
a
fun
universe
to
be
a
part
of.

It’s
just
not
comedy,
right?
It
also
has
this
awesome
fantasy
element
to
it.

It
is
like
every
actor’s
dream
to
be
a
part
of
this
magical
world,
first

Stree,
then

Bhediya
and
now
Sarkata
in

Stree
2.

The
challenges
and
the
supernatural
beings
you
are
up
against
are
so
exciting.
That’s
exactly
why
it
is
very
exciting
for
me
to
play
Jana
(his
character’s
name).

During

Apurva,
you
said
the
biggest
challenge
was
to
casually
play
a
dark
character.
Do
you
think
your
villain
in

Vedaa
is
one
step
further
in
this
regard?

Oh,
he
is
10
steps
further.
Jitendra
Pratap
Singh
(his
character
in
Vedaa)
is
somebody
who
can
eat
10
Sukhas
(Apurva
character)
alive.

He’s
like
the
oppressor
of
society.

He
believes
in
the
divisive
politics
of
society
and
that
is
more
dangerous
than
the
regular
goons.

Until
today,
I
have
always
played
the
guy
who
is
taking
the
action.
But
with

Vedaa,
I
will
be
the
guy
who
empowers
these
guys
to
take
those
actions.

He
is
like
the
boss
man
of
all
the
villains
I’ve
played
so
far.

Are
you
disheartened
that
the
Censor
Board
chopped
off
certain
scenes
in

Vedaa?
Do
you
think
it
takes
away
creative
freedom
of
our
films?

I
honestly
don’t
understand
the
board
rules.

The
board
is
very
particular
about
certain
things
which
might
cause
unrest
in
society.
The

Vedaa
team
is
very
happy
that
the
cuts
are
actually
very
minimal.
They’re
letting
us
talk
about
the
topic.

The
revising
committee
head,
who
watched
the
film
told
Nikkhil
(Advani,
Director)
sir
that
this
is
a
very
important
film
for
India.
For
them,
to
acknowledge
that
is
a
big
win.

It
is
funny,
weird
and
surprising
that
in
a
country
like
India,
we
do
not
have
mainstream
commercial
movies
that
talk
about
the
divisive
system
of
caste
in
our
country.
It
is
a
bigger
problem
than
a
divisive
religion.

The
division
of
caste
is
everywhere,
in
every
state,
in
every
street.

I’m
happy
that
a
film
like

Vedaa,
which
is
not
a
preachy
film,
has
this
storyline
of
caste
politics,
and
it
is
getting
this
wide
release.

Did
you
enjoy
doing
action
in

Vedaa?
How
did
John
Abraham
react
to
your
scenes?

He
is
a
sweetheart,

yaar.
On
the
first
day
of
the
shoot,
he
came
to
me
and
said
you’re
doing
good
and
we
will
make
a
very
good
film.

He
was
basically
pumping
me
up.
It
was
like
having
a
coach.

Although
he’s
playing
Sharvari’s
coach
in
the
film,
off-camera,
he
was
my
coach
through
the
film.

During
the
action
scenes,
he
would
give
me
that
confidence
by
saying,
‘Hit
me,
don’t
worry
about
it.’

Of
course,
I
don’t
have
the
power
to
cause
him
any
damage
(Laughs).