Journalism of Courage
He may have been written off after his first film,but with a new wardrobe,eight-pack abs and hip-hop dance moves,Jackky Bhagnani is here for the long haul.
Ajab Gazabb Love is your third film that has been produced by your father,Vashu Bhagnani. As an actor,isnt this a sore point?
People may feel so but I dont think it is a drawback. What is wrong if he is financing my films? I am proud to be his son and wouldnt trade that for anything in the world. He has launched 15 other actors in the industry; I am one of them. He puts his faith in me because he knows that the audience likes me. It bothers me when people say that I have had it easy because of him. That is not true; I worked hard after my first film Kal Kisne Dekha failed.
Was it tough to find your feet in the industry?
Absolutely. I was shattered. People called me good-for-nothing,saying how I did not deserve a launch and had given their verdict that I would never come back. All that talk made me work harder. When I showed the script of F.A.L.T.U to my father,he was skeptical. But I told him,99 per cent of the people anyway think I am faltu,I think this will work for me. He agreed to fund the film and when it released,everyone knew that I was here to stay.
Have you become more confident as an actor today?
The confidence has grown,because when a film does well,you already know that X number of people liked your work. That also helps you plan your future course of action.
Is your new look in the chartbuster Boom Boom a result of that?
That is an outcome of many peoples hard work. Director Sanjay Gadhvi told me that when people watch me on screen,they should say,You are cool instead of You look cool. Niharika Khan gave me a wardrobe that I initially thought would get people to say,Kahin paagal toh nahin ho gaya hai (Has he gone mad?). But the promos are being appreciated. Also,Bosco-Caesar,who choreographed the song,told me not to bother about outdoing other dancers and just dance so that the audience would want to join me.
You are getting noticed but youre yet to grow as an actor.
I agree. In F.A.L.T.U,people spoke about the concept and my screen presence. But in this film,people are talking about my dance,my eight pack abs and my comic timing.
People believe that I can deliver.
Are you going to do only boy-next-door kind of roles?
These are the roles our audience relates to. Everyone wants to see a decent,good-looking boy on screen. At this stage,I am not going to do larger-than-life roles. I made that mistake with my first film,but not any more. I am not Salman Khan; if I am seen beating up 55 people on screen,the audience will go,Yeh kaun hai yaar? (Who is he?). My next film,Rangrezz,is an action film but its an underdogs story where I play a lower middle-class Maharashtrian boy.
