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Getting real

Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Dignified presence Bobby Deol

Bobby Deol has always exuded warmth. “Warmth comes from the family,” he grins as he settles to talk about his role as a professional killer in Sangeeth Sivan’s “Ek –The Power of One”.

“I play Nandu. Orphaned in childhood, he grows up to be a professional killer. Nandu is ruthless.

He wears an attitude and is not sombre and soft like the professional killer in ‘Bichchu’. His hair is long and straight and his kohl-rimmed eyes have a piercing gaze. He does not talk much.”

Even in real life, Bobby is not known to be a chatterbox. Keeping quiet, he says, is also a weapon. He realised its power when corporate houses entered the film industry and recession hit filmdom. “I discussed it with my family. I always knew corporate houses would disburse money without caring about quality. Now, all of them have run away. Except, maybe UTV, which is almost a part of the film industry now.” And recession, he admits, has affected the industry badly. “Even our pay structures are affected. It had to happen.” “How can one price tickets at Rs. 150 to Rs. 250? It was totally uncalled for. India is largely middle class.

If they had taken care of that, it wouldn’t have affected cinema the way it has.”And yet, quite a fat amount has been spent on action in the film. Bobby asserts that the USP of the film is its action. It is done by Peter Haynes, who also did action for “Ghajini”.

“The action in the film is very stylised. It is powerful and raw. He has experimented a lot, and his action scenes kept all of us on our toes,” laughs Bobby. Like many, Bobby also thinks the film’s title, for which Ram Gopal Varma has already dragged Sivan before the Motion Pictures Association, is rather uncreative. “Producers don’t get titles any more. All of them are already registered.

I also think a catch-line like ‘The power of one’ is not needed. But I keep quiet. I am 40, and maintain the dignity of my age. I don’t comment on anything that is pre-decided,” he says thoughtfully. Though Bobby has Sivan’s next film “Cheers” with father Dharmendra in hand, and other films (“Gangs of London” and “Formula 44” have been put on hold), he seems dissatisfied. “Good scripts aren’t coming to me. But, I am positive,” he concludes, with his trademark smile.

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