OTTplay Exclusive! Samir Soni: I'm the modern-day Gabbar Singh

Samir Soni is an actor who has seen good times in the recent past. In fact in the year 2021 itself, he has some memorable releases including the latest, Puncch Beat 2. He is now a part of the ensemble series Cartel.

Samir packs a punch as the antagonist in the series. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, he talks about his character Dorabjee in detail. Samir also talks about what his future looks like.

Excerpts from the interview...

Right after Puncch Beat 2, you are now gearing up for Cartel. What is that feeling like?

God's been kind. He's in a good mood. Every time I'm done with something, the other thing comes up. I don't know what's next but this is a good time. Probably he tested me for a while but feels I can handle it now so he's smiling at me. Good times.

In Puncch Beat 2, your character was a little grey. When it comes to Cartel, will it be right to say he is the dark shade? Because just a glimpse did not reveal much than you are deadly and people have to watch out when it comes to you.

He's bad news. You don't wanna mess with him. You don't want to be around him. Dorabjee is a crazy rich industrialist who is power-hungry. All he wants is power. Whether he's connected with politics or gangsters, he'll take anything to be in control. In a charming avatar, he's a man who can go to any extent. So he's pretty dangerous but nobody knows that. On the surface, everybody thinks he's good but he's a master manipulator.

In an ensemble film or series, when there are two people in two frame, it is tough for audiences to stay glued to both the characters. How did you make sure that if you were performing in front of say Supriya Pathak, that people were still focused on your character?

You don't think like that. As an actor, you shouldn't think like that or be focused on these things. What you have to do is be committed to the character you are playing. Hopefully there's something about the character which you liked, that is what made you say yes. Make sure that when you play the character, it's fun. It doesn't really matter who's in front of you. In fact, I believe the better the actor in front of you, the better you are. I make sure that my every take is a different take. I want to keep myself guessing. Doing a scene is like doing a tango. One person moves left and to complement that, you might go right. You adjust, adapt, push and pull according to the co-star you are with. Someone might play something a certain way, which is when you automatically and instinctively move to maintain the balance. When I'm acting against, say Supriya ji, I'm not acting in real life. I'm acting opposite Rani Maa. My equation with her is what Dorabjee has with Rani Maa. There's no Supriya ji or Samir Soni. The better the actor, the more convinced you are that it is Rani Maa. It is also why I don't like to know my actors too well. I like to stay away.

Seriously?

Many people want to get comfortable with their actors but I wonder why would they want to do that. In that, you have understand a person, then learn to unlearn and forget everything and superimpose something else onto the person. That's increasing your job. So if I have a scene which introduces the antagonist, I'll probably maintain my distance with that person. On the other hand, if it is a romantic scene, I will be as cozy as I can get. So, it works like that. I did my first film with Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Amrish Puri and I was just a 25-year-old boy. If I could handle that, I'm sure I could handle this.

Any memorable moments with them?

It really depends on what the scenes are. I mean you do interact but if I'm playing a guy who is going to be looking down on some other guy and hates him, I won't easily start having a conversation with him. I'll just be polite, of course. More than that, I like to stay in character. People prefer to get pally. Once it is wrapped up, you give each other a hug and say that it was good and how you liked a certain scene. I like to build a wall rather than expose Samir. I never take my phone on the sets. When I'm working, I'm working but that's that.

Didn't you interact with anyone?

I did talk to Ritvik (Dhanjani) and Monica (Dogra). He is going to surprise a lot of people. The way he's performed is exceptional. The cast is lovely. No one will be happier than me if I see my co-stars do well. There was no competition. I want everyone to succeed and become a superstar. Some of the people are youngsters coming up. I hope they get the time of the sun.

Did you give them any tips?

I wouldn't call them tips but there was some pushing and pulling here-and-there. Sometimes, the way you're doing a scene, you're guiding it to a particular direction. If you work in a certain way, that helps them explore things too. That is fun and good. I ask them to explore if they approach me. The thing is, a lot of people get tied down to the script and don't feel the need to explore more possibilities within the character. There a million ways of doing a scene. It's a give-and-take that always happens. I don't put them down. I'm no Shakespeare.

What was going on with the look? Whose idea was it? How did it all come about?

These people wanted me to look different because I look the same all the time. You don't have to look different to act differently. It's not that important for me but I'm open to it if it works for them. First they tried to give me a ponytail. We shot with it but they found it stereotypical. Then we went with shoulder length hair with silver hair. It looked like I should have been a part of a rock band. Then I was given short hair - salt-and-pepper. That got us thinking and we later settled for complete silver hair which I really liked. I gave them that reference actually. I had a couple of movies in mind. If you've seen Collateral starring Tom Cruise. He has a silver-white hair in the film. It gives him such an eerie feeling. I thought that would work. So I suggested it and they finalized it. I have actually been dying to do the white hair for a long time now. I've been dying to age.

Really?

I'm sick and tired of 'Oh he's so sweet. Nice smile.' Now finally I get to play an old guy, villain, father to a 20-year-old boy who whacks him all the time. It's good fun. I'm making up for the simple guy with a halo around his head (referring to angelic). I'm the modern-day Gabbar Singh, watch it. Somebody suggested that the Gabbar Singh dialogue will be replaced with Dorabjee.

What's the update on Fabulous Lives?

Oh god, I'm running away from that one. They put me in situations I don't want to be in. Now I have a clause with them that I won't be a part of social gatherings. "As long as you shoot me with my wife in my house I'm okay. Don't get me into social gatherings, I don't like it." On a serious note, they should start shooting later this or early next month. I have no idea what they'll do. It's a reality show so there's no story so I don't know. Sometimes they try to discuss things with me and all I tell them is I'll be who I am and they can do what they need to do. If I'm not comfortable doing something, I'll say no. I have warned them that I'll walk out of situations I'm not comfortable in. I think they're a little scared of me. Neelam is actually the most scared of me. She's constantly worried about what I'll say. She thinks I say things that will get her into trouble or embarass her. So she's petrified. I anyway don't like going out. So I tell her I'm a liability. Slowly even her friends have realized that I'm dangerous and they don't know what I'll say and will cause fights among them sometimes. I didn't realize I wasn't supposed to say something and I said it. Where I'm happy and Neelam is happy, that's all that matters.

You sound like an introvert...

My mantra is 'Leave me alone'. I have a book coming out which is called 'My experiments with silence: A diary of an introvert'. Yes, you're very right. I'm very much an introvert. All the extra versions I need, I get from being on sets with people. When I'm not acting though, I'd rather be in my pyjamas and read by night. I didn't drink for most of my life but had to take it up after joining the acting industry because I had to deal with people around me. I cannot make inane conversation so I let people talk. Now people know how I am so they don't even call me or get offended. It is why work works very well for me. As an actor, I'm out there doing and saying things. In real life though, I don't want people to talk to me.

Any plans of going back to direction after My Birthday Song?

I have another script which I will direct sometime in future. The only thing is that direction takes a lot of time so I can't be acting and directing. It will be during a time when I don't have a lot going on. I have a good story which I want to tell so I will do that.

Cartel will start streaming on AltBalaji from August 20. MX Player's MX Gold also launches with the show. The show and other upcoming shows and movies will be available on MX Gold at Re 1/day subscription.