In B-Town, formula is king. If it works, repetition is a sureshot shortcut to success. But, Tusshar Kapoor, fresh off a hit (adult comedy Kyaa Superkool Hain Hum) is happy taking the long way around. He plays quite a different character (a gangster) in Shootout At Wadala. He says, “I don’t have any hangups about breaking images, but I’m okay with whatever the audience likes more. Besides, as an actor, I get to show my versatility. So I’m happy that directors are convinced I’m suitable for intense characters,” he states. Point out to him that after playing nice guys in comedies, he ventures to the other side playing an outlaw, and he explains, “Munir Sheikh, the character I play in Shootout At Wadala has grey shades. Unlike Dilip Buwa (his character in Shootout At Lokhandwala), Munir is more complex as a character. He’s a strategist with a sense of humour. The film is set between 1973 to 1983 and the character grows as the story progresses.” The actor believes that SAW is his most commercial gangster film. “Most gangster films are very niche; either they are docu-dramas or they’re too dark. And, in the garb of making their movie realistic, directors end up making it not as realistic as they wanted to intially,” he points out. As a Muslim gangster, Tusshar is seen in Pathani suits and had to work on the physical aspects of his character as well. “Given the period it’s set in, I couldn’t be lean-and-mean. “I had to look as tough as possible, so that required me to bulk up. As for the other aspects of the look, I worked on it with (director) Sanjay Gupta. Also, as I’m playing a Muslim guy, I had to learn how to offer namaaz, how certain words are pronounced and so on. The story is complex, and every time I shot after a break, I’d read the entire script again to get into the zone,” he reveals. And with Eid coming up, he has only best wishes for everyone. As he sums up, “I wish every one a great Eid and hope to match up to the expectations people have from me. I hope my work in SAW is equally appreciated.”
