When one starts out in showbiz, one works hard to build an image, and as years pass by, one builds on that image. Only a handful dare to break away from that image, and succeed in doing something totally diverse. Sunil Grover, known for his comedic characters, Gutthi and Dr Mashoor Gulati, recently portrayed an intense character in Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav. His character, Gurpal, was cold, sinister, and very effective. The actor is currently revelling in a sea of compliments. Some of those compliments say, Pehle hassa rahe the. Ab darra rahe ho. (You made us laugh before, but you are scaring us, now).
When director-producer Ali Abbas Zafar approached Grover for Gurpal's role, Grover was not entirely sure of saying yes. I was scared, and that is not because I won't be able to portray the role, but given my comedic image, I didn't want people to laugh during an intense scene. Security guards at the airport have often told me, Sir, aapko dekh kar hassi aa hi jaati hai. You have the kind of face that makes us laugh,” he says, asserting, I had never thought of a character like Gurpal. One fine day, Ali Sir called me to his office, and I thought we would chit-chat to catch up, but he offered me Tandav. I immensely enjoyed portraying Gurpal's character because it was so powerful. I could feel that power while performing. It was Ali Sir's faith in me that made this character work. Gurpal does all sorts of immoral things, thinking he's just doing his job.”
This story is from the April 2021 edition of Man's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2021 edition of Man's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Is Wearing Make-Up Normal For A Man?
The male beauty industry is expanding, however what do men in beauty need to do to destigmatise it?
Achieving Your Fitness Goals
Rohit Kamble
VIJAY VARMA
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE RED HERRING
How Football Is Finding Its Voice
As the Indian Super League celebrates its tenth anniversary, we understand how the fandom in Indian football has become more vocal and organised, with some clubs also seeing the rise of Ultras groups
Through The Looking Glass
Where does the AR tech in India stand today? We try to find out after spending a few weeks with the Rokid AR Joy
Zaeden Your New 5-am friend
The singer-songwriter who is a popular name in the independent music scene, has recently dropped his highly-anticipated EP 5 am. The dance pop delves into the poignant theme of long-distance relationships, is a charming piece that is already climbing the charts
THE MACALLAN M 2023 LAUNCHES IN INDIA, REDEFINING LUXURY IN SPIRITS
With limited 10 handpicked bottles gracing the shores of India, The Macallan M 2023 stands as the pinnacle of exclusivity
American artist Grant Garmezy's magic of glassblowing
From fire to form, he takes us through one of the most exciting, adrenaline-pumping crafts out there
Haute Couture On Four-Wheels
It takes a village to build the world's (allegedly) most expensive.
Riding India's Electric Two-Wheeler Wave
India's electric two-wheeler market is booming with over 640,000 units sold by December 2023, despite consumer apprehensions and the call for better infrastructure