Abhay’s Deol gene awakens

Hatke, non-Bollywood… are the kind of words one most associates with Abhay Deol, thanks to his choice of roles. The actor, however, insists that being different was never the agenda. “I never planned to be associated with a certain kind of cinema, but I have naturally been drawn towards roles that are more real and challenging,” says the actor whose motive is to challenge himself as an actor and adds, “I like being pushed into places I have never been before.”

And it is this urge that has seen Abhay survive in those three years at the start when there were hardly takers for his kind of films. “Those initial years were the toughest, because there weren’t many takers for non-Bollywood type of films, but I’m glad I stuck it out. Today, the scene has changed for the better. I’m glad that things are looking up and this wave of change is getting stronger,” says Abhay.

But doesn’t that mean missing out on the masala space? “Relatability is more important than herogiri to me. Larger-than-life bores me. Most of the roles I have played are characters that I can relate to, even though in totality I am not that person.” Including Kabir in Chakravyuh? “He is emotional and doesn’t take measured steps. I am very much like that. I am simply driven by what I believe, what my heart says,” shares Abhay.

Chakravyuh has many firsts, including Abhay’s stint working with an experienced director like Prakash Jha. “Oh yes, till now I have only worked with either débutante directors or directors who are barely two-three films old. It was good to not have to worry about anything like raising finance, or about the filmmaking process. Here, I was completely an actor. Besides, it’s Prakash Jha we are talking about, he draws his own audiences,” says Abhay. The film also sees him in an out-and-out action avatar, another first for Abhay. Does he finally feel like a true-blue Deol? “Oh absolutely. I feel like I have let the Deol out in me with this film doing all that hardcore action,” laughs Abhay. “All of them (uncle Dharmendra and cousins Sunny and Bobby) have seen it and they are very happy too.”