I can do justice to Kannada as a language: Dulquer Salmaan

The Malayalam star talks about his many roles, in a candid chat with Showtime.

Dulquer Salmaan, also fondly known as DQ, works predominantly in the Malayalam industry. He rose to fame after his Bollywood debut ‘Karwaan’ (2018) and has built himself pan-India stardom. The actor was in Bengaluru recently to promote his first-ever web series, ‘Guns & Gulaabs’, a comedy crime thriller set in the ’90s. 

This is your first web series, how different was the experience?

I got to deep dive into the character, because there is so much time to explore. For an ensemble like ‘Guns & Gulaabs’, each of the characters have the time and room to fully explore their arcs, conflicts and resolutions. 

But what amazed me while shooting was the amount of material we cover in a day. We were doing about 10-13 pages a day which is a lot, compared to movies. 

What was it like to work with Rajkummar Rao?

I have known Raj since we were on the panel at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2017. Even that first meeting was so easy and so chill. We knew each other’s work and we have a similar love for cinema.

He is spontaneous as an actor, and was always surprising us with something. He loves to improvise. When he and I do a scene together, we don’t plan, “You say this line and I’ll say that”. We tried to believe in the moment which effected well on the camera.

You’ve donned many roles — a subtle Faizy in ‘Ustad Hotel’ to a carefree Charlie. Tell us about your character in ‘Guns &
Gulaabs’. 

The character, Family man Arjun, is a little older than my usual characters. He married his college sweetheart and had a child quite early. Now, he has a 16-year-old daughter, which I have never done before. I really liked the interactions with Suhani (Arjun’s daughter). I imagined what it would be like with Mariam — my daughter who is six — if she was 16, what would we talk about, how would we bond, what would our equation be like, would I give her a side hug or… (giggles). All of this would play out in my mind.

Plus, Arjun has a layered and complex character. He’s a skeleton in the closet. He’s also a bit unpredictable. He’s not like the other roles I’ve played. 

And the way they detailed me, even in the script, he seemed like a living breathing person and I’m like “wow this sounds like he actually exists.”

What is it like to work across industries? 

I love it. The biggest thing about my generation is that we all love experiences — we’re constantly seeking. The journey into every industry was about the culture, learning the languages, and working with different productions and makers. 

When will the Kannada industry see you in a film?

I’m open to it. I want to find something that excites me. I feel as a language I can do justice to Kannada, it’s not alien to me. Also, it’s not like I planned to work in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi films… projects came my way and I was curious. 

‘King of Kotha’ will see you in a never-before avatar. How did you prepare for the role?

I like to go with what’s in the material — in terms of what the character’s back story is, his family dynamics, his friendships. In terms of mannerisms and body language, it is when I get into the look and feel of the character — it could be the clothes, the hair, all that give me things to play with. 

Beyond all that, the film was very physical. It has a lot of fights and songs and there are some football sequences. It’s probably the most physical film I’ve done in a long time. When you’re doing a love story, it’s not physically so taxing. It was a big film to make, a lot
of shoot days.

In 2016, you did ‘Kammatti Paadam’, which defined what is not referred to as new-age Malayalam cinema. Would you experiment with characters like Krishnan again?

I’m open to such roles again. ‘Kammatti Paadam’ had an organic way of filmmaking. We were given only bits and pieces of a scene and told to improvise, it was a unique way of working. All the actors would brainstorm, and we would be like “Hey I want to say this, you say that and someone else would come up with a whole new approach.” A lot of scenes were created like that.

You sing, act, and you’ve also produced films. Will we see you directing a film soon?

Some day! I would really want to. Even before I started acting in movies, the first thing I did was to make these short films. I was directing, conceiving ideas, and I enjoyed it.

What genre would you choose for a first film?

The first-ever story I kind of conceived was a high-school drama, but it was a little dark...(grins). 

Do you feel the pressure of being a star’s son?

It’s obvious. It’s evident. But, it has also driven me to give my best and carve my own niche.

Among the characters you’ve played, which is your favourite?

You give the same amount of love to each of them. Some are loved more than others by the audience. It’s very difficult to pick one over the other. Whenever I get this question, it feels like I am being asked to pick between my kids, I can’t. 

Which role was the most challenging?

All of them have had some sort of challenges. If a role feels too easy, that is when I would worry. That would give me anxiety. 

Rapid fire

Favourite music genre: Early 2000s or late ’90s hip hop 

A wardrobe essential: Shoes

Most underrated film: Karwaan

What does DQ do when the going gets tough?: I work well under pressure. It’s human to adapt and keep going — you cannot come to a standstill or freeze.