KABIR DUHAN SINGH REVEALS HIS LOVE FOR PLAYING THE ANTI-HERO
by MOHNISH SINGH
WHEN it comes to playing a tough, moustache-twirling villain, Kabir Duhan Singh is probably one of the best.
The actor is so well-versed in portraying a negative character that he has successfully carved out a career as an antagonist in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. After essaying some of the most compelling villains in multiple blockbusters in the south Indian film industry, the versatile actor is now ready to set his foot in Bollywood with multiple projects.
No prizes for guessing what kind of roles he will be playing. He may be scary on-screen, but the extremely down-to-earth actor is super friendly in real life and was happy to speak with Eastern Eye about his forthcoming projects, including his Bollywood debut and working with Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
He also discussed his big unfulfilled dream and why he chose to make a living as a villain on-screen.
How would you describe 2020 for you?
2020 started off on a good note for me. I had finished three films by March. One film each in Marathi, Telugu and Kannada. I will be making my debut in Marathi cinema with Shreyash Jadhav’s Fakat. I even purchased an apartment in Mumbai. But by March 20, all shooting activities came to a grinding halt, and we had to get back to our homes from wherever we were shooting. I was shooting in Pune. Thereafter, 2020 turned out to be a peculiarly challenging year for many.
How did you spend your lockdown?
I worked on my craft. I even finished writing a script. I will share it with some producers in the south. It’s an out-and-out commercial action entertainer, the kind of film people love watching down south.
When did you resume work?
I went to the sets in the month of November to resume work on all the pending projects. I was shooting for almost seven films before the coronavirus pandemic struck India and the world. Of all those seven films, two are mainstream Bollywood films. One of them is called Bole Chudiyan alongside Nawaz (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). I am playing an anti-hero in the film.
Does Bole Chudiyan mark your debut in Hindi films?
No! I will be making my Bollywood debut with a mega-budgeted project. The makers are yet to announce it officially, so I cannot talk about it right now. It has been sold to a leading streaming media platform because of the Covid-19 situation. The makers will announce it in March, I guess. It’s a negative role, but a very powerful one for me.
How was your experience working with Nawazuddin Siddiqui?
It was fantastic. I always wanted to work with three actors in life; Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Manoj Bajpayee, and Irrfan Khan. Irrfan is no more with us, so my dream of working with him will never come to fruition. I am hopeful I’ll get to work with Manoj Bajpayee soon. Nawaz is one of the finest actors that we have today. The kind of struggle that he has gone through to fulfil his dreams, I don’t think today’s actors can do even half of it. He is an inspiration for me. I loved working with him, eating food together and going for a walk in the evening.
You have also signed an international film, if I am not wrong…
Yes, I am very much excited about my international debut. That film will be releasing in 80 countries across the world. It is a Bangladesh-Turkey co-production titled Netri: The Leader. It is expected to get off the ground soon.
You come from the Hindi belt, then why did you choose to go all the way to the south of India to kick-start your career in films?
I belong to Faridabad, Haryana. When I came to Mumbai for my modelling assignments, there was always a thought at the back of my mind that I should first get into south films. Today, my 22 films have been dubbed in Hindi. They are being played on television. The audience here is yet to see my work in Hindi, but they already know me. Now that I am finally ready to set my foot in Bollywood, there is already an atmosphere of anticipation, I feel.
Why did you choose to become an anti-hero in films?
I always wanted to play grey-shaded characters. A villain has a lot more things to do in a film than a hero. I think that audiences like anti-heroes more than heroes. There is something irresistible about them. Look at the crazy popularity of Yash who played an anti-hero in KGF: Chapter 1 (2018). People are waiting for KGF: Chapter 2 with bated breath. Whatever fan following I have today, I guess it is because I play antagonists and not conventional roles.
Why did you take so much time for your debut in Hindi films?
I had been getting offers from Bollywood since the beginning of my acting career. I had rejected almost 15 films before signing my first film in Hindi. I was always looking for projects where I play the antagonist. Why? Because if I kick-off my career with a lead character, they will call me for lead characters only. If I make my debut with a side character, I will be practically typecast for such roles. I will never get a lead character after that. That’s sad but true. I didn't want to be typecast as a character artist. I always receive calls from casting directors for the main villain. So I hope that those calls keep coming to me forever (laughs).
Was it difficult to learn south Indian languages at the beginning of your career?
Of course, but I will always be thankful to my first director who really helped me in the beginning. A lot of Hindi-speaking actors who work in south industries dub their dialogues, but Radha Krishna Kumar, who was the director of my debut film Jil (2015), was very particular about the fact that I learnt my dialogues in Telugu. And I cannot thank him enough for that. He worked really hard on me. I will never forget him. Had he not encouraged me to learn my dialogues then, I would have never reached here, I feel. Today, I am able to learn my dialogues easily, be it in any language.
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