Irrfan Khan steps out of comfort zone for Gunday

Critically acclaimed actor will play the commercial role of a larger-than-life villain in the film.

With Ranveer Singh pairing up with real-life bud Arjun Kapoor in Aditya Chopra production’s upcoming venture Gunday, all eyes are on them to see how their off-screen camaraderie translates onto celluloid. Playing the roles of Bikram and Bala, the two have been referred to as the equivalent of Jai and Veeru from Sholay. It is no surprise that in a film that is reminiscent of Sholay, there is a version of the infamous Gabbar.

What may come as a surprising pick, critically acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan has been selected to play this commercial, larger-than-life role, reports the Indian Express. According to a source, “The idea was to make this Gabbar look decidedly different from what one would assume would be in a film titled Gunday.”

Irrfan, who is known for movies that are off the beaten path, will step foot into commercial cinema with his role in the film. “For starters, Irrfan had to come out of his realistic zone. You know the kind that he has perfected so very well, in his recent films like The Lunchbox and Life of Pi. Instead, he had to get into an out-and-out commercial zone where despite being an antagonist, he had to be nothing short of a hero,” the source added.

Thus, a complete makeover has been planned for the actor to enhance his style quotient and appeal for the masses. “The idea is to make Irrfan come across as a lot more mass-y by being flamboyant and mainstream. This is reflected in his dialogue delivery as well,” said director Ali Abbas Zafar, who himself is making a genre transition from rom-com Mere Brother Ki Dulhan to the action-packed Gunday. “He [Irrfan] has been so strong in realistic cinema and in Gunday, I wanted him to come across as a lot more heroic and stylised.”

Irrfan is content with his portrayal in the film and Ali is thrilled to work with an actor of his stature. “I am fortunate that Irrfan liked the script and he did it. Because of him, Ranveer and Arjun are looking much stronger. Wasn’t it the same when Gabbar made Jai and Veeru look better in Sholay,” Ali said.

We can’t wait to see Irrfan in this new avatar!

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2014.

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