Sidharth Malhotra won hearts with his turn as Captain Vikram Batra in Shershaah. He is now back with another film, Mission Majnu, which too has a patriotic flavour. The spy thriller sees Sidharth playing Indian intelligence agent Amandeep Ajitpal Singh. The movie, which releases on Netflix on January 20, is a roller-coaster ride filled with emotion and romance. It marks South sensation Rashmika Mandanna’s Bollywood debut. Here the actor talks about the movie, his co-star, and more. Excerpts:
What was the most challenging part of the role?
It is set in the 1970s. For my character, we made subtle changes to my hairstyle. I wore a taweez and applied soorma (kohl). There are many layers to the film. To get the real tonality and not overdo it, was interesting. I had to be pretentious and engage in nautanki because I was trying to get information. We did a lot of rehearsals and put in hard work in character-building. Hopefully, people will like the film.
How was it working with Rashmika?
This is her first Hindi film and she would be on the sets with an open mind. She didn’t have any preconceived notions. When you work with a new person and if they are not rigid, your work becomes easy. We didn’t need to mould her; we only did a few rehearsals. It’s an innocent love story and we tried to keep it simple. Hopefully, people will like Mission Majnu.
During your leisure hours or breaks on the sets, what would you guys talk about?
We had a non-stop schedule. But we would talk about our dedication to fitness during lunch breaks while relishing food. There were mosquitoes and all of them were moving around Rashmika. After the cut, we would sit down with a mosquito bat and shoo them off. These mosquitoes were after her blood (laughs)!
Since the movie is set in the 1970s, what do you like about that era?
That generation was innocent and had little information. Today, we have become clever and knowledgeable because we have a lot of information. The communication was done differently. There were few telephones. The people of that era were simpletons, according to me. Socialising, too, was different. I love the 70s style. I have experienced this era through films.
Mission Majnu releases on an OTT platform. What is your take on box office numbers?
Good content, on any platform, gets recognition. Every actor wants his film to be watched by a maximum number of people. Good films do get their due. On OTT, we have to work hard to engage the audience. This is because they have the remote in their hands and can change channels. Unlike a theatre, where you pay for tickets and hence watch the entire film... This is more challenging.
How is the year 2023 looking for you?
Mission Majnu is releasing soon. Then I have Yodha. So, professionally, I have a busy year. I am excited about the films.
