New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) From putting on over 100 kilos to mastering horseback riding and sword fighting, Bollywood heartthrob Vicky Kaushal immersed himself fully in “Chhaava”. He said that through this film he knows he can bring discipline into his life if he needs it in the future.

In the Laxman Utekar directorial, Vicky is seen playing the lionhearted Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who ascended the throne following his father's demise.

For his role, the actor, who is fondly tagged as the National crush, pushed the envelope when it came to his physique and looks. However, Vicky still feels whatever he did seems less as the personality he is portraying is very strong.

Vicky told IANS in a conversation: “If you're making a film on such a personality and you get an opportunity, whatever you do, it'll feel a little less. Because you can do your best, but I'm sure if we go to make Chhaava today, I'll try to do something else, I'll try to give something else because that's what it deserves.”

“So, yes, as much as there was a possibility from our side and what Laxman sir said to me, muscularly you have to look like ‘I can make the audience believe that you can fight a lion’. There's a lot of action, so there will be training for that.”

Vicky did not mince any words when he said that the action is “real and raw.”

“So, there's no VFX in the action. Apart from that, there's horse riding. He was very clear that I won't cheat, I won't compromise. It should be you only. So, it takes time to prepare for that. Then, whether it's language or anything else. So, there's overall preparation for that. But it's also fun.”

The National Award-winning actor, who started his journey in Hindi cinema in 2012 with “Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana”, learnt several skills through the film, which he strongly believes can help him in the future.

“Through this film, I know horse riding. Through this film, I know sword fighting. Through this film, I know that I can bring discipline into my life if I need it in the future.”

“What are the do's and don'ts? So, it's your own growth while doing all of that. So, it's much more than money and fame that you also get through processes like this.”

Talking about what makes periodic films a big hit among the audiences and at the box-office, Vicky said that it is the wonder of being whisked away into a different world.

“Talking more as an audience I think it is the fact that you get transported into a world that you've not lived in. So, maybe it's that. Like, you feel a slight change.If it's done right, then you do feel that, okay, we've been transported from our daily lives to a different world.”

“And that, I feel, is quite charming about a historical period.”

How do you develop a character that has been scarcely mentioned in history books?

“Firstly, it's unfortunate that a person like Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is an unsung hero for us. It's about time that we, you know, we pull out these unsung heroes and make them celebrated heroes. Especially with the medium of the internet, our cinema is going global. So, everything is set for us to bring forward our true heroes.”

He agrees that historical period dramas are always very challenging, not just for the actors, but for the director, producer and whoever's involved in the making of a film like “Chhaava”.

He said it is “because its authenticity becomes very important, its scale becomes important, you have to create a whole world, nothing is available to you. You have to create all those things from scratch.”

“So, that detailing, that precision, everything becomes very challenging. And as actors, for our characters, it's a responsibility. Because they have existed. And if we're bringing their story after 350 years, there's a reason for that. That their glory, their sacrifice, with the same sensitivity, with the same responsibility, portraying them, that responsibility, it's sometimes a little bit of, you know, it scares you too.

“So, all those things, it just makes it a very challenging thing to take on. But I think I can proudly say on behalf of the entire team that we really have put our best foot forward as much as we could.”

Now that the film is all set to release on February 14, Vicky is both nervous and excited.

“It is nerve wrecking but also very exciting. There has been a lot of effort by a big team for over four years. We were also waiting for this day to come. And now that it is all set to come, we cannot wait,” he said.

--IANS

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