PremiumExclusive! Dulquer Salmaan: I would never rejoice at someone else’s failure
The Hey Sinamika star talks about navigating the highs and lows of the film industry, how prepared he was when he made his debut and about how he wants the Malayalam film fraternity to support each other
Last Updated: 09.49 PM, Feb 25, 2022
After a decade in the film industry, Dulquer Salmaan has managed to accomplish what few thought he could. For starters, he has managed to step out of the colossal shadow of his dad and megastar Mammootty in just the first two years with hits such as Ustad Hotel, Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi and Bangalore Days. And since then, there has been no looking back – just “ahead” – as the actor tells us in an exclusive interview.
However, coming from such a background doesn’t make him immune to the pressures and lows of the film industry. Ask Dulquer if he was prepared for the pitfalls of cinema when he decided to take the plunge as an actor in 2012 with Second Show and he says, “Absolutely. End of the day, I obviously have the privileges and advantages of being a star kid or whatever. I got one foot in the door and I got these opportunities. But it also comes with a big group of people who are trying to bring me down – for whatever rivalries or who my dad is.”
On how he has learnt to tackle this, the Kurup star says , “I feel cinema is like a sport. Just like you have your favourite teams, you have your favourite stars. It’s not unhealthy because eventually if you see it as a sport, it’s fine. That’s how I have learnt to see it. But it’s something that I have always faced and will continue to face. Anytime any actor does well in my peer group, I will probably be attacked or put down for some reason.”
While the actor says that he was always aware of this, it’s not something that he is lax about. “I would be lying if I said it doesn’t bother me, because it does. But I try to wear blinders; I don’t want to look left or right, I just want to look ahead,” he says. “This is why I make a conscious effort to support, promote and encourage every film. Anyone tells me something, I am happy to share it. I wish that at least internally, within the industry, we keep it as a fraternity and a family, and we root for each other. I genuinely want to be happy for every film that does well.”
That said, Dulquer admits that as a professional his efforts would always be channelled to bring out the best film. “I am not saying I am not competitive. I want my films to do the best and I want to perform the best, but that’s my personal goal. I wouldn’t rejoice at someone else’s failure because as someone from the industry, I know the effort that goes into making a film. I feel like putting that energy out there would in time cleanse the negativity,” he concludes.
On the work front, the actor has Brinda's Tamil romcom Hey Sinamika gearing up for release on March 3. He has also completed shooting his portions for his web debut Guns and Gulaabs , which is helmed by The Family Man creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK. In Malayalam, Dulquer will next be seen in Rosshan Andrrews' investigative thriller Salute, which also marks Bollywood actress Diana Penty's South debut.