Playing Arjuna was always a dream for Sonu

Actor Sonu Sood tells Metrolife he felt like a brave Pandava the moment he wore his grand costumes and headgear for the multilingual Kurukshetra

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, last seen in the Kannada film ‘Vishnuvardhana’, has returned to play Arjuna in ‘Kurukshetra’. He shared his excitement with Metrolife

Was it easy to play Arjuna?

Back in school, there was something about his character that left me awestruck. I was part of a play about the Mahabharata. The small fight sequences depicting war were memorable. Now, after so many years, when I wore a grand costume, makeup and headgear, I felt strong emotions that strengthened my performance.

Was it challenging to depict the emotions?

More than a challenge, it seemed dramatic--the way you had to render the lines. It was more of a stage setting, like what we had seen as kids. Effort has gone in to keeping the dialogues simple so that people can relate to them.

How was it working with a huge ensemble?

Working with Darshan, Ravichandran and Ambareesh was a different experience. This is the first mythological film in Kannada in 3D and it is made on such a vast scale. It will enlighten and entertain a generation that is glued to gadgets, PS4 and games like PUBG. This film will give them an insight into the characters in the Mahabharata and take them through mythology and show why it is still relevant.

This was actor Ambareesh’s last film. Your thoughts on him...

I had interacted with Ambareesh during the Celebrity Cricket League matches.

He was a jovial person. He was not well when he came to shoot ‘Kurukshetra’. But the moment he slipped into the costume, he began flawlessly rendering his lines. That only proved how strong his dedication and commitment to his craft was. I have always admired the grace and confidence he exuded.

Has language been a barrier?

Language is never a barrier. I have a knack of learning languages pretty fast. It is the same with Kannada. You don’t have to know the language to act in a film. You learn it on the job. Once I slipped into Arjuna’s character, the dialogues and expressions came naturally. That was half the battle won. In fact, I felt I was Arjuna.