The immensely talented Deepak Dobriyal tells Nichola Pais about the many bets he won growing up in Delhi predicting the monsoon!
These are exciting times for you as an actor. You now play the lead in Yeh Kaisa Khiladi… What was the most challenging and satisfying part of cracking this role?
Initially, I was a little worried about Yeh Kaisa Khiladi since Akshay Kumar has always been associated with it. To take on a franchise like this was quite a responsibility. But eventually, as we started shooting I realized that there is a khiladi within all of us and create that character was in my own hands. At the same time, what was also satisfying about this role was that it came to me right from the makers of the all the Khiladi films.
What exciting projects are you looking forward to in the future?
Well, there are a handful of them I can’t really talk about them at this moment.
Does the season affect you personally? How? It is known to give a further creative boost to those who are inclined towards the art and poetry…
The rains are my favourite! I believe that the rains bring our creativity in us. In our industry, people begin to ideate and start writing in this season. Reading scripts is always fun as I one is mostly at home during the day. Besides, Nature’s has its own effect on us at this time… people begin to relax and unwind, even a fast city like Mumbai begins to look somewhat like a hill station.
How do you like spending a rainy day?
The smell of wet earth gives a high. Like most other people, I too love to listen to a lot of romantic songs and read books in this season. Particularly, I love to go to Juhu beach and be there for hours. Neeche paani, upar bhi paani… I just love the effect that it creates. Sometimes, I just go out in the rains to play football. And I’m fond of clicking pictures… water droplets on leaves and on car windows excite me.
Are there any dramatic or unforgettable film scenes that spring to mind which have the rains at the core.
That scene in Cast Away where Tom Hanks returns home to his wife after having lived in an island for 4 years… and he finds out that his wife is already married to someone else and even has kids with that person… how they both feel the pain of lost love and eventually decide to part ways… and there is rainfall… this scene is very close to my heart.
Your favourite rain songs…
There one too many but here are a few I can think of immediately… Nahi Saamne Yeh Alag Baat Hai from Taal; Pyaar HuaI kraar Hua from Shree 420; O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi from the film Parakh; Tip Tip Barsa Paani from the film Mohra.
Are there any lingering memories related to the monsoon, both personal and professional?
I remember as I grew up in Delhi I used to plant a lot trees and cycle with friends in this season. And I was very good with my predictions about the rains. So many of my friends of have lost bets over Pepsi… After a point in time, they used to say “Deepak se pooch baarish ka baayegi!”(Laughs)
