Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan plays the role of a middle-aged man who could not make it big, in R Balki’s Hindi film Ghoomer. The film features Saiyyami Kher in the lead role of a cricketer who loses her right hand in an accident and then trains to be included in the team despite the limitation. Bachchan turns her coach in the film that hits theaters on August 18.
He is said to have gained around nine kilograms ahead of the shooting of Ghoomer. Bachchan is seen as a disheveled man – an alcoholic who often criticizes the world and system around him. The actor insists that there was no particular preparation required for the physicality of his role. “The only thing we agreed upon was that he (his character Padam Singh Sodhi) had to look disheveled. (So we) worked on the hair and makeup. They even dyed my hair white. But nothing else that we needed to work upon in that sense.”
Bachchan gets the role perfectly. Especially the first half of the film, where he plays the man with no hopes or aspirations, showcases his brilliance as an actor. Backed by sensitively written film and genuinely worded dialogues, Bachchan delivers the performance of a lifetime with his nuanced portrayal of a man who is frustrated with his situation in life and promptly attacks anyone and everyone he assumes to be enjoying unearned privileges.
Did he have a real-life reference to get into the psychological and emotional zone of his character? Bachchan denies knowing any such person. “I do not think there are any references for my character. You cannot really pick a real cricketer for his physicality or demeanor. He is so bitter, cynical, blunt, insensitive, and badly mannered. I do not know many people (who behave) like that. I could not model him on anyone I knew.”
He says that he had Balki’s material on his character to rely upon. He adds, “There are certain things in his life that you can draw parallels to. There is a particular scene where he lets his guard down – that scene may resonate with many people. I believe everyone – from the most successful to the least successful – has had a dream they could not achieve. However, they know deep down that they are responsible for the failure.”
“We love to raise fingers and blame the world but we also know if we are at fault – maybe we did not work hard, maybe we were not talented enough. And that realization eats us alive.”
Bachchan also reveals that the filmmaker shared the idea of Ghoomer with him several years ago – much before he began writing it. “As he always does, Balki came and gave me an idea of what he is doing and then he got to writing it. In my humble opinion, anyone would be a fool to read the script and not work in the film. All the characters – every single one of them has a beautiful arc (and has enough meat to chew on).”
Bachchan also says the entire film was tough for him. “The entire film was very tough and demanding for me. For each one of us, I suppose. Every day is a challenge when you need your character to be a certain way. And, you may not feel it at times, but you need to complete your work. That is scary, but also exactly like how I want it to be. I want to feel scared about my performance so I can perform better.”
(The conversation and edited and condensed for clarity)
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