On the turf of tinsel town, not all horses keep galloping! While some gasp for breath and collapse, others wander away. But a few trod along, increase their pace when need be and suddenly start galloping to tell the world they are the thorough - bred ones, with the grit to wait and watch! Sonu Sood has turned a stunning stallion, thanks to his role in the recent smash hit Dabaang!

Though Sonu has been in the race for over a decade with good roles in films like Jodha Akbar, Singh is King etc, it’s as the cheesy Chedi Singh in Dabaang that he really got noticed. Now playing an acclaimed parallel lead role in Budda Hoga Tera Baap, and another meaty role with superstar Rajnikanth in Rana, Sonu is riding on a high!

However, he has been a phenomenal success in Tamil and Telugu films, having debuted in Tamil with Majnu way back in 2001 and then moved to Telugu with several super hits and critically acclaimed roles under his belt. In the city to shoot for Osthi, the Tamil version of Dabaang, where he portrays the same role, Sonu seems very relaxed and extremely confident of his talent in this tete – a - tete with our Correspondent at the Windflower Spa in city.

It’s only after “Dabaang” that people have started noticing you. Where were you all along?
I was very much there. Dabaang got noticed “well” and so did I. I was in films much before that and I'm sure people did notice me very well in Yuva, Jodha Akbar, Singh is King etc. With Dabaang, my role and the film clicked together! I have miles to go and I do agree the journey hasn't been very smooth.

Yet another clichéd “struggle saga” in Bollywood… How different was yours?
I'm a BE graduate, an Electronics Engineer and completely from a non - filmy background. My mom is an English Professor, so I was academically inclined. Breaking away from the normal path was a huge decision. Shifting from a secure background to a highly competitive, insecure and indecisive environs is no small struggle. All the grind has done me good though.

So, “castaways” from Bollywood can easily make it big in South, like you have?
For one, I'm not a “castaway”. I started my career in South, did a lot of films here and then moved to Bollywood.

Having the best of both the worlds?
So to say! I do agree that girls from Bombay are more welcome in the South but for a man, it's more difficult to be accepted down South where the industry is highly male - dominated.

Not that Bollywood has been very kind to talents from South! Legends like Kamal Hasan and Rajnikanth haven't been able to stick for long.
(Grins) Hmm! Right! I think everyone wants their territory to themselves and don't want to be ruled.

You are the first person from Bollywood to have won the prestigious “Nandi Award” (the State award given by Andhra Government)?
Yeah! Everyone told me how prestigious it is to win this award. My role in the mega hit “Arundathi” proved me wrong in many ways. I was skeptical of accepting a period film which had re - birth and revenge as subjects. The shooting itself was so long — 200 plus days, 60-70 hours at a stretch sometimes! Actually, I lost interest towards the end and I would cringe! But all the tough work paid off and became a landmark film for me. It's not easy to portray an Aghori.

You have worked with some of the best directors from the South. Are you coaxed to go overboard in acting, considering that Bollywood is much more subtle?
I have been really lucky! Yes, Telugu is real big and so is Tamil. I do make a conscious effort to underplay my roles, but if the director convinces me more than I can convince him, then…

You seemed both upset and elated when you received the award for “Dabaang”?
Yes. I had been nominated for so many of my roles earlier, but that was it. No awards came my way. So, that was a reaction of my long wait.

Oh! So are all awards genuine and worthy?
Hmm! Well, there are speculations about the authenticity of awards and yes, you can manipulate!!! I'm not carried away by awards but I feel happy when I genuinely get one!

Are you not getting enough roles in Bollywood or too many roles in the South?
I have good offers in both. I am doing good films. I do accept however that the choices I had in South helped me in being discreet in accepting roles in Hindi films, by not forcing me to grab everything and anything that came my way.

Heard you refused to get “physical” with Amitabh Bachchan in “Budda Hoga Tera Baap”?
I was supposed to hit him hard in the very first scene. I've grown up idolizing him and couldn't bring myself to do something like that! But like a true actor, Mr. Bachchan said, "Forget all that. Come on. Push me hard," and I did and it showed.

Did you conceive your role in “Dabaang”?
No. Abhinav had a different essence for Chedhi Singh. But I thought he should be a villain who could make people laugh. Salman too was apprehensive as it would kill the fear factor. But it worked.

In the Kannada film “Vishnuvardhana” with Sudeep, you play a humorous villain?
Vishnuvardhana came my way and I think it is a great role. I play a don who loses his mobile and it's all about how one wrong usage of it sends him into a tizzy.

You still haven't gathered confidence to play a solo hero in a Hindi film?
I am doing a film called Maximum directed by Kabir Kaushik, about the underworld in Bombay between 2002 and 2008. I play the cop and have Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor as my co - stars. It's an emotional role, the kind of which I have been looking forward to.

Do you feel that you came into films at the right time? When chocolate heroes were fading out?
I wouldn't say that. Whenever anyone walks in, there's always “no requirement” of them. If you are chocolatey, they say macho is in and if you are macho, it's the cutie pie they want!

Are you a fitness freak? What worked for you?
Yeah. I didn't have to develop 6 or 12 packs! I already had a 6 - pack when I came. What worked for me was probably my persistence, my dream chasing and as I always say, wishes do the trick. Good wishes from your loved ones. I had a lot of it, especially from my mom who has been my role model.

Casting couch for struggling males or females?
For both. There are a lot of people out there waiting to lay the couch. We need to fasten our seat belts and be safe.

You were married when you entered films. How do you like all the female adulation?
Feels nice! When you hear people screech and scream when you come on stage, especially girls, it's a high!

By Nandini Srinivasan
Courtesy: Star of Mysore