Premium9 characters of Dulquer Salmaan that represent 9 emotions
Over the course of the past nine years, the Mollywood star has played an array of memorable characters that has resulted in his pan-Indian fan base. We take a look at some of his versatile acts
Last Updated: 09.17 AM, Jul 28, 2021
This year Dulquer Salmaan completed nine years since his debut. What made it stand out even more was that the actor opted for a below-the-radar debut when he started his career with Second Show in 2011 and currently has movies lined up in four languages – Salute and Kurup in Malayalam, Hey Sinamika in Tamil, Hanu Raghavapudi directorial in Telugu and R Balki’s thriller in Hindi. His star appeal and ever-expanding fanbase have a lot to do with the characters he plays, something that he has often said he carefully picks so that years later when he looks back, he has a filmography studded with varied roles.
Having completed close to 30 movies, we pick nine roles of Dulquer that take the audience through nine different emotions.
Love – Adi from O Kadhal Kanmani
Playing a romantic hero in a Mani Ratnam film usually means walking straight into the hearts of millions of fans and staying etched in their minds forever. As Adi, Dulquer brought an irresistible, youthful vibe that people continue to associate with his romantic characters.
OK Kanmani is available on ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix
Joy – Johns Isaac from ABCD: American Born Confused Desi
As the most indolent of youth, Dulquer brilliantly portrayed Johns, an American Malayali, who is forced to live in Kerala after his parents cut off the financial dependence. Dulquer lends a comic believability to the plight of Johns and his buddy Korah. With the movie, he also proved that he can pull off comedy with the same ease as his previous thrillers.
ABCD is available on Disney+ Hotstar
Compassion – Faizi from Ustad Hotel
It’s a role that makes people relive the emotions they felt the first they watched the movie. Director Anwar Rasheed’s Ustad Hotel, which is scripted by Anjali Menon, still stands the test of time for its sweet relationship between Faizi and his grandfather Kareem. But what every audience was truly moved by is how Faizi felt while seeing people struggle for food, and it’s this compassion that changes him and makes him realise what’s important.
Ustad Hotel is available on Disney+ Hotstar
Anger – Siddharth from Kali
This is probably the easiest entry in this list. Siddharth, a youngster with anger management issues, is a volcano that is ever ready to erupt. While Dulquer plays an angry young man with relative ease, it’s in those scenes that have him show restraint where he truly shines, adding layers of suspense in the already tense film by Samir Thahir.
Kali is available on Disney+ Hotstar
Valour – Aji from Comrade in America
This was not an easy pick, but Aji narrowly edged out Kassi from Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi and Nikhil Khoda from The Zoya Factor. It takes resolve and tenacity to travel across continents and Aji ventures into unfamiliar territory to be with the one he loves. He finds strength in his ideals, which however are shaken up over the course of the journey. But it takes true courage to realign his beliefs and do what is right even when the endgame might not have worked in his favour.
CIA is available on Netflix
Fear – Siva from Solo’s World of Siva
Each character of Bejoy Nambiar’s Solo shows off the various facets of Dulquer the actor, but none was more hard-hitting than the story of Siva, a gangster. For the audience, Siva’s story was about revenge, but it also reflected the pervading fear experienced by his family and the final scene mirrors the anguish that haunts Siva.
Solo is available on JioCinema, SunNxt and Netflix
Peace – Avinash from Karwaan
For Dulquer’s Avinash Rajpurohit in Karwaan, the road trip is about getting closure and finding some peace in his unsatisfied personal and professional life. The movie, which marked DQ’s debut Bollywood film, also had him in his most different avatar yet in a subdued and subtle performance that the dark comedy demanded.
Karwaan is available on Amazon Prime Video
Aversion – Gemini Ganesan from Mahanati
Rarely do rising stars take up a role that isn’t the lead, much less a character with a grey shade. As Gemini Ganesan in Nag Ashwin’s Mahanati, Dulquer once again experimented with a role that starts off as endearing but soon takes a rude route, driven by jealousy and malice towards the one he loved.
Mahanati is available on Amazon Prime Video and YuppTV
Wonder – Charlie from Charlie
As a free-spirited vagabond, Dulquer plays the titular character with a swagger and charisma you would associate to characters from a fairy tale. Charlie was a breath of fresh air and it’s the actor’s natural charm that makes it stand out from the rest of his roles. Little wonder then that Charlie also fetched him his first Kerala State Award for Best Actor.
Charlie is available on Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5, SunNxt and Vi Movies