As a long-time connoisseur of cinema with a penchant for Bollywood and beyond, I find myself captivated by Varun Dhawan‘s audacious leap into the larger-than-life world of South Indian cinema with “Baby John”. His dedication to mastering the iconic style of Rajinikanth is nothing short of inspiring, and it’s fascinating to see him draw parallels between the classic Hindi film “Hum” and his upcoming project.
Actor Varun Dhawan is diving headfirst into the grand, distinctive filmmaking approach of Southern India for his forthcoming Christmas movie “Baby John.” In readying himself for this part, he delved into studying the signature gestures and charisma of legendary star Rajinikanth.
In an interview before the movie’s release on December 25th, Dhawan shares why he chose this project that deviates from his past endeavors. He admits, “I sought to create something grand and heroic. I yearned to play a macho character. I desired to showcase my emotions in a specific manner, which I felt wasn’t being offered or the movies weren’t being produced here [in Bollywood].
Under the guidance of director Kalees (“Kee”), “Baby John” is a notable joint effort between Hindi and Tamil cinema, produced by Jio Studios, Atlee, Murad Khetani, Priya Atlee, and Jyoti Deshpande. This film is a product of A for Apple Studios and Cine1 Studios, in partnership with Atlee and Cine 1 Studios. The action-drama finds Dhawan emulating the path taken by Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, who dabbled in larger than life South Indian cinema with Atlee’s “Jawan.
I delved into an extensive exploration of the crowd-pleasing elements in South Indian cinema, as portrayed by the legendary actor Rajinikanth. They showed me a video montage of his unique actions and mass appeal moments. Alongside this, I was also presented with clips showcasing actors from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi cinema emulating similar acts that Rajinikanth had already mastered. It was truly captivating to grasp the sheer variety of things he has done, realizing that many current performers are following in his footsteps.
Referencing the style of iconic Bollywood films, Dhawan points to the 1991 movie “Hum,” starring Amitabh Bachchan, as a significant influence. As a child, he admired this film titled “Hum” directed by Mukul Anand, which features Amitabh Bachchan playing a character with nearly two identities. He explains that his latest work, “Baby John,” shares similar themes and also explores the theme of safeguarding women in our nation. The solution, he suggests, lies in good parenting versus bad parenting. In essence, “Baby John” is like an Indian Thali (platter), offering a variety of cultural stories or dishes.
The shift to South Indian filmmaking style posed a considerable challenge for the actor. “It was extremely difficult, I’d say one of the more demanding acting tasks I’ve encountered in recent times,” Dhawan acknowledges. “Working on [Prime Video action series] ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ with directors Raj and DK felt like a breeze compared to it, as that project was uniquely designed.” He highlights the intense production process: “No day on set ever felt easy. There were no light days. Everything seemed heavy, everything seemed significant.
The action scenes in the movie, orchestrated by Yannick Ben – known for his work on “Citadel: Honey Bunny” – are expected to offer breathtaking stunts. Dhawan mentions that one particularly striking scene, set during rainfall before the interval, has already been filmed and stands out. He also notes that the action in “Baby John” is exceptionally challenging.
“Dhawan found a standout aspect in the filming process to be collaborating with his young costar, Zara. ‘Working with this little girl,’ he reminisces, ‘was an incredibly joyful experience for me.’ Each scene we filmed together was enjoyable, fun, and spontaneous because every take she gave was unique.
In 2024, Dhawan reflects on the shifting trends in Indian cinema and emphasizes the growing demands of the audience. “It’s not enough to deliver mediocrity,” he notes. This realization has guided his selection of recent projects such as “Jug Jug Jeeyo,” “Bhediya,” and the upcoming “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.
Moving forward, Dhawan’s calendar is filled with a variety of upcoming projects. For one, he will be working on the comedy film “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai,” directed by his father David Dhawan, alongside Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. Starting from January, he’ll kick off the first phase of the war film sequel “Border 2.” Towards the end of 2025, he plans to start work on Anees Bazmee’s comedy sequel “No Entry 2.
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2024-12-24 09:46