Vicky Kaushal will soon be seen alongside Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar in Govinda Naam Mera. It is written and directed by Shashank Khaitan and will release on an OTT platform on December 16. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actor for an exclusive tête-à-tête. Excerpts:
Govinda Naam Mera is by far your most commercial film. What made you choose it?
For me, it’s always the script. I always think from the audience's perspective whether I will like it or not. If I am taking out two to three hours from my life, I would enjoy it or not. Then comes the character and how much scope I will have to perform. As an actor, coming out of URI: A Surgical Strike and Sardar Udham, I was hungry for a film like Govinda Naam Mera. I have been doing serious work off late so I needed to show this side of mine too.
Go on…
I and Shashank had been planning to collaborate for a long time but never materialised until Govinda Naam Mera happened. It is a very upbeat, colourful film. I remember going through tough times during Covid when we were planning to make a happy film that can entertain people in such adverse times.
Any concerns about the film having a digital release despite being touted as a massy film?
I feel audiences are no different. Before being an actor, I am the audience. Content is the only king. OTT has made the lines blurred, there are no bars for age, genre, language, etc. We as actors just have to entertain the audience. The best example is Shershaah (2021), people don’t really remember whether it came in theatres or on OTT since the film was really good. The whole idea was to reach out to the wider community.
With Govinda Naam Mera, you are making an image shift too. Was it risky for you to do a film like this?
There are risks in every role you play. With serious roles, there is a constant dilemma of whether it will connect to people. There are no set formulas here. Every filmmaker goes out to make a good film. A film goes through a lot of things before it reaches the viewers. However, it was my conscious decision to do this film but not because of my career graph. The reason for doing a comedy film is to enjoy yourself first while shooting it. I had a fun time working on this film.
From Masaan and Zubaan to Govinda Naam Mera, your film choices have been quite eccentric so far. How do you see yourself as an actor?
I have been living my dream in the most beautiful way. When I was promoting Zubaan, I never imagined that such films would come my way. I feel like God’s special child now. Mozez Singh (director of Zubaan) has a very special place in my heart since he believed in me when nobody else did. Sometimes in life, you just need that one push and for me it’s him. He is extremely passionate about films. I feel whatever story he sets out to tell, be it Human and Zubaan, is a part of him.
Since you set the bar high with your own performances in the past. Do you see any roadblocks in matching up that bar?
No one really knows how a film will do just before its release. Before the release of URI: A Surgical Strike, I and Aditya Dhar were worried whether people would come to theatres to watch our film or not. But now, what URI did was beyond our imagination. I am surely responsible but also let go of my instincts.
