After playing the antagonist in Bachchhan Paandey, and a shady character, Prince, in the web show Rana Naidu, dashing television actor Gaurav Chopraa is back on the big screen as an Indian army officer in Gadar 2, the second part of the iconic franchise. Ready and open for all sorts of challenging roles, Chopraa speaks to us about Gadar 2, being typecast and more.
What has your role been like, and how much have you enjoyed the collaboration?
Gadar 2 is very special, and I don’t even have to say that Gadar is a landmark film. A film that set benchmarks 22 years back, and now a sequel is being made with the same star cast, makes for an extremely exciting project. For an actor like me, to be a part of that cast was nostalgic as well as challenging. I play the role of a supremely patriotic Indian army officer. Whether the role is big or small, or the screen time, nothing mattered to me.
At any point before signing up for the film, did you feel scared?
When I took up the character of Prince in Rana Naidu, some of my friends told me it’s very risky, and that my audience will be shocked. But I like experimenting. After playing the antagonist in Bachchhan Paandey, Prince in Rana Naidu, and now Gadar 2, it sort of completes the circle. For all these characters I have tried to go out of my way to make and feel each character different from the rest. And for me, this process is very liberating.
You are called TV ka Bachchan; how do you react to this?
Amitabh Bachchan has etched the concept of an angry, young man in our hearts, and a lot of movies try to recreate that character because it still works. And when the makers find an actor who can somehow match up even a little, they get really happy. But it also puts the actor into an embarrassing situation (laughs). It’s like you’re being compared to God himself. It’s a huge compliment for me, but I also get super shy when someone tells me this.
Shifting to web shows and then into films from serials; how easy or difficult has that been?
This has not been easy, but it was not so tough as well. You have been in the industry for quite some time, and you are successful; the by-product of it is that you have been put into a slot. And before you realise it, you are in a box with a label on it. And when you try to come out of the box and say that you want to try out other things, there is resistance and apprehension most of the time. And then, you have to take really big risks and gambles to convince the industry that you have the potential to do these too. So, in the last few years, I could say ‘yes’ to only three scripts among the many that were offered to me. I think the audience knows your potential more than the industry because the latter never really sees a lot of your work. If you are coming from a particular platform, they will assume that you do something very typical. In the last three projects, I have gone through four-five body transformations. I have gone mad gaining and losing weight, more so because I don’t take any supplements.
You’re ageing gracefully. What’s the secret?
I think the most precious quality in the world today is grace. Everything and anything that is growing is adding grace to the process. Keeping on to that grace while ageing is the most inconvenient thing to do, but what’s the fun in doing conventional things, always?
Do you think you have been underutilised as an actor?
I would reluctantly say yes. I think I am tailor-made to carry projects on my shoulders. Many take up a project (I believe) depending on the length of the role, the outcome of the role, etc, but none of those are deciding factors for me. I take projects instinctively. Hopefully, people’s perception of me will change after seeing me in varied roles.
Upcoming projects?
I will debut in Pollywood with Blackia 2, in which I’m playing the iconic character of Haji Mastan. It will be a new challenge, and I am excited about it.