Actor Priyanshu Painyuli tells Chahak Mittal that a villain doesn’t necessarily have to shout or act crooked to seem menacing. And that’s exactly what he followed in his latest, Extraction
When Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth recently expressed his disappointment while calling off his visit to India for the promotion of his latest Netflix film, Extraction, due to Coronavirus pandemic, Priyanshu Painyuli felt the same surge of sadness. The actor, who makes his Hollywood debut with the film, essays the role of a Bangladeshi drug mafia leader. However, while home quarantine might have ruined the promotion plans, it couldn’t contain his spirit and excitement for the film, which was originally titled Dhaka.
Excerpts from the interview:
How did you get the part? What’s the story behind it?
It’s quite a funny episode. I had never imagined that so early in my career, I would get such an opportunity — to work with such a huge cast and some of the best actors like Chris Hemsworth, Pankaj Tripathi, and Randeep Hooda. It’s a big deal in itself, let alone for someone who is as new as I am. When I was called by the casting director, she asked me whether I could speak Bangla. I laughed as though it might seem like I do, because of my name, but I don’t, I told her. She had thought I am a Bengali. But I am actually a pahadi from Dehradun. How could I even know Bengali? Though she didn’t explain much about the character but I learnt that it’s a crime thriller. She asked me to give it a try and reminded me about my roles in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero and Upstarts.
I have done theatre that revolved around other Indian cultures and languages so I thought I could give it a chance. Why not Bengali this time? So I took help from actor friend, Ranjini Chakraborty, whose Tumbbad had just released at that time. Finally, they really liked my audition and I got the part. Then I got to know that this project was being produced by the team of Avengers: Endgame. I hadn’t imagined working with them one day after admiring Marvel for years!
Since it’s a negative character, how did you prepare for the role?
It was my versatility that I had to show and bring forth, as an actor. I felt that while doing a negative character in front of the camera, I should not pretend to look ‘bad’. Rather, I should look like a real mafia don, who did possess all those qualities. To act as a bad guy, I don’t think I have to shout because I am a villain or even look a certain way to be menacing. Even a wrong person is always right in his mind.
Sam (Hargrave, director) and I discussed the way he wanted the mafia to be. He explained to me as to where the man was coming from. I just had to be very confident to portray a character like this. I had to be convinced that what I was doing and saying was right. There’s no other approach to portraying a dark character.
Also, the kind of costumes that I wore had a huge role in making me look like a don. There was a lot of gold jewellery, kurtas and shiny shoes (or jootis).
What were the challenges?
First, to adapt to the Bangla dialect. It was difficult to get it right because I have never encountered the language in such a direct manner before. Getting the accent right was the biggest challenge because it was not Hindi or English, which I could have improvised as per the varying emotions. I had to make it look authentic so that it seems like I actually came from there. It took me some time to get into the skin. I watched a few documentaries on Dhaka. It took around three to four months of training in the language prior to the shoot. I conversed with Bangladeshi filmmakers on video chats to rehearse the dialogues.
It is a crime thriller. And, especially, talking about Indian cinema, and not Hollywood, the idea of thrillers for the Indian audience has evolved after online shows like Sacred Games and Mirzapur. Earlier, they were more of fantasy and fiction merged together and released only on theatre. But now, it is mixed with reality too. What is your take on this change?
Due to platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and many other web channels, everything is going global and getting a wider reach. So I know for a fact that whatever project I star in, it would be viewed by several people and in many different countries. So today, filmmakers, directors, and writers have to create something for the audience which they can really love.
It’s a huge challenge because people have a variety of options to choose from. They might even stop watching a series within five minutes of the first episode if they do not like it. It’s a personal choice. If it’s a movie theatre, where you buy the ticket and watch it with your popcorn tub, you will sit for two hours even if you don’t like the film. So, for online content, they definitely have to up their game. In theatres, the challenge is to get people inside the hall, and in case of web films or series, the challenge is to keep the audience hooked till the end. If they get bored in the middle, you’ve lost the game! Hence, for that, not just in India, even in the West, the challenge is the same — to keep the viewer engaged.
Hollywood has a huge history of blockbuster thrillers. Did you see any difference between the way they work and the way Bollywood works on thrillers?
Well, I would say that even we make a lot of good action films/series. For instance, Tiger Shroff films. Even I have been a part of one, — Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. They were crazy and big budget action ones but we did them. Hollywood, in thrillers, takes longer and puts more money into each shot. They are very calculative. But nowadays, I think it’s all the same. Even we are making some fantastic thrillers.
You have talked about how Hollywood industry is very particular about their work ethics and professionalism. How did it differ from that of Bollywood?
Well, as Indians, we are very loud people. But there, they talk softly. Everything happens softly and very silently. It’s different in India when we are shooting with 200 people around us. But that is how we are!
One more thing, which I really liked about them was that they are very particular about time. Here, if you are late or early, it doesn’t matter. But they work according to very detailed plans and, I think, that really helps them a lot.
How was it working with Chris? Was there any nervousness initially?
Yes, there was a lot of nervousness from day one. It was also because I had to act and speak like a mafia in a language that wasn’t mine. That’s quite a tough thing. When I got to know about the brilliant cast, I was excited and nervous at the same time because I had to prove myself. I had to really give my 100 per cent and put my best foot forward. That’s how I tried to achieve this character. And it has worked. Some good reviews are coming in.
What do you think is the future of films as we are currently swamped in a digital world and can’t head out to theatres?
Yes. This will definitely take time. But we have to stay protected and safe. Digital world, anyway, without even a pandemic, has seen a boom over the past two to three years. People prefer to have more options to choose from and watch content whenever convenient for them. Films will be lost, at least during this year, till we find out how to take it forward. It’s also required otherwise the future would get affected. We have to be patient this year. There are many people who love watching films on big screen, including me. In fact, small screen doesn’t even do justice to some films, which are always better on the big screen. But this is temporary, people would definitely love to go back to cinema later.
What was your takeaway after doing this film?
One important thing which I learnt is that whether it was the director or anyone else on the set, they all were really calm and composed. They silently did their job. Sam was very open and confident about what he wanted to make. He was handling one of the biggest equipment and doing one of the most deadliest stunts, which you’ll know when you watch the film. Even for me, it came as a surprise that this is a different scale of action that I have never done before.
We will see you next in Rashmi Rocket with Taapsee Pannu...
Yes! We wanted to start off this summer but thanks to Corona. I was looking forward to working with her because she’s the finest versatile actor. I am physically trying to change myself for that film as I portray an Army man.
I am also a part of the second season of a great web series, which will be released by July. But that’s a surprise!