After making an impactful entry into Bollywood with his debut film ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’, Abhimanyu Dassani is impressing people with his charm in ‘Meenakshi Sundareshwar’, a sweet love story about a newly married couple that gets into a long-distance relationship that challenges their romantic equation. With the film bagging a mixed response and accolades for the actors in the film, Abhimanyu spoke to WION about not fitting into any box, making mom Bhagyashree “proud” and his New Year plans.
Edited excerpts from our conversation with him:
WION: There is a lot of buzz around your recently released film Meenakshi Sundareshwar. The film has seen a mixed set of reactions, how does it feel?
Abhimanyu: It’s been pretty overwhelming. I am enjoying it, I won't lie. As for the controversies, no matter what you make, film or art, you can't please everyone. Some people will always have something to say but as long as your intention and effort has been honest and 100 per cent, it’s all good. The whole team worked very passionately and the good feedback has got everyone in the film multiple offers -- from the DOP to those involved with music, costume -- everyone has been appreciated and have signed big projects.
WION: Your chemistry with Sanya Malhotra, your Meenakshi shines in the film. Was that all prep for the film or did you guys know each other from before?
Abhimanyu: We did know of each other. We have a common friend, Radhika Madaan. I have worked with her and she’s worked with her as well. Last to last year, when she was shooting for Pagglait in Lucknow and I was shooting for Nikamma, we happened to have stayed at the same hotel. But all the chemistry you see, the relationship between Meenakshi and Sundareshwar is purely prep. We intensely did workshops, readings with the director. Read our review of Meenakshi Sundareshwar here.
WION: How do you feel about some factions of people calling the film as having stereotyped Tamilians?
Abhimanyu: People talk a lot and we can’t make everyone happy. We made the film with intense passion and purpose and the process was very honest. We did our research, infact had a couple of Tamilians on set -- the editor himself, DOP, chief AD’s -- so if all of them thought that we were doing it correctly, we must be right.
WION: Your character in Meenakshi Sundareshwar is very different from that in Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. Was that a conscious decision?
Abhimanyu: Absolutely. It is the responsibility of an actor to challenge themselves and adapt themselves into becoming different characters. Audiences or people for that matter have a tendency to put people or things into boxes, so that they feel safe about themselves and so that they can give a limitation to a certain person. I don't agree with that so I try to break away from those boxes. As soon as you put me into a box of an action hero, I'll come out with Meenakshi, you put me in a box of a romantic hero, I'll come with Nikamma. That's a conscious decision.
WION: Do you discuss scripts with actress-mom Bhagyashree or do you leave it to your instinct?
Abhimanyu: No, we don’t get work back at home. Like any parent would be proud of their children achieving something, I see that glint in her eye and at the end of the day that's what any child wants. I’m just happy to give her those moments where she’s congratulated by people that her son is doing good.
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WION: What can you tell us about your upcoming projects, Nikamma and Aankh Micholi?
Abhimanyu: Nikamma is an action entertainer and is a 180 degree flip from Meenakshi and Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. You will see the effort that I have put in to change my voice, body language, my mannerisms, and also my look. Aankh Micholi is a comedy film and the star cast is phenomenal. It has Paresh Rawal, Vijay Raaz, Abhishek Banerjee and others. It’s a laughter riot from start to end. So I have four different genres in four different films and every film is for a different audience.
WION: Which character of yours are you most closest to in real life, even if just by a few characteristics?
Abhimanyu: I'm very different from most of my characters in real life. I can say certain characteristics with Sundar match, certain with Surya match, certain from Adi match. So I guess it’s an amalgamation of these characters. As a newcomer actor I have to try and detach myself from the characters I play because once you spend enough time playing someone, you tend to take something back from them, good or bad. Sundar is so in control of his emotions, patient. I'd like to be like that. I'd like to imbibe those characteristics in me. But I also feel that a reason why I do these characters is because somewhere I see myself in these characters, in certain aspects of it, or I'm attached to them because I have gone through some things similar to that.
WION: In a journey of two films that you have seen the premiere of and others that you are currently working on, what’s your biggest learning from Bollywood?
Abhimanyu: Bollywood has taught me how to deal with different people. I have learned how to be more patient, go with the flow and not let distractions bog you down from your goal. Naysayers will always try to put you down, to trouble you but as long as you're winning hearts, you're doing the right thing.
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WION: Since we are running in the last leg of the year and you’ve had a successful ending to 2021 with Meenakshi Sundareshwar, what are your New Year’s plans, if any?
Abhimanyu: I am going to try to take advantage of this run that Meenkashi Sundareshwar is having so instead of taking a holiday I am going to try to work harder. Getting so much love and admiration from people around the world is just an added responsibility, that whatever you are doing is right but you have to keep it up and work harder. That's how I look at my next few months.
WION: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Abhimanyu: To be in everybody’s hearts.
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