PremiumChup: For Dulquer Salmaan, venturing out of Malayalam cinema is both a responsibility and a rich cultural exchange
In a recent chat with a media outlet, Dulquer spoke of the lovely cultural experiences he gets to have as an actor and how venturing out means that he is denying dates to Malayalam filmmakers
Last Updated: 12.55 PM, Sep 20, 2022
Actor Dulquer Salmaan is a model Gen Z actor and his vibrant filmography proves just that. As someone who carved a specific niche for himself in Malayalam cinema in the romance genre, Dulquer's consistently ensured that he doesn't grow complacent with his 'image' by picking roles that are outside the realm of comfort. And thanks to his rather 'congenial' presence in the media that he has found opportunities in multiple film industries and the success of both his Telugu outings (Mahanati and Sita Ramam) reveals that he makes his moves quite carefully.
Speaking of a kind of 'responsibility' he has towards his home-ground of Malayalam cinema, Dulquer Salmaan says:
"Malayalam is my core market and it has given me everything that I have today. In fact, I believe that every opportunity that I have got today has stemmed from some film I have done in Malayalam - so every time I venture out, it better be a good choice. Irrespective of whether it's hit or flop, it will still have to be a bold choice. Also, with Malayalam cinema peaking currently, I owe to not just my audience but also my filmmakers back home because I am denying them the dates for the films I could have been doing there. So, in that sense, every choice I make has to be weighed."
In the same vein, the Sita Ramam actor feels that venturing out of Malayalam cinema presents him with the chance to dabble with different cultures and sensibilities and that very few people get the opportunity. He compares his acting gigs to the journeys of a backpacker to convey that that the current generation of Indian actors is quite blessed in this regard.
"People have given me a lot of free advice about the kind of films I should be doing. Many reckon that I shouldn't be doing film in 4 different languages because I have my feet on multiple boats and I am bound to sink at some point. But the fact is that I operate with a lot of love for cinema and I belong to this generation of cinema whereinwe all are seeking experiences and we have the luxury of documenting them and later put them out there [for public consumption]. Every industry I work in is also a cultural experience and the idea is try and do great original work wherever I go. I have no idea, though, whether it's working but I would change this for the world," shares Dulquer in a recent interview with a media outlet.
Dulquer Salmaan's Hindi debut came in 2019 in the form of Zoya Factor (opposite Sonam K. Ahuja). Although the film garnered decent critical reviews at the time, the box office results were quite poor and both Dulquer and his many million fans would hope that his second outing, Chup: Revenge of the Artist, turns things around for him. Chup, written and directed by R. Balki and also starring Sunny Deol, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Pooja Bhatt, releases theatrically on September 23.