'Guru': Why Abhishek was 'unsure' about pulling off lead role
What's the story
As the Mani Ratnam-directed film Guru completed 18 years, actor Abhishek Bachchan reminisced about the movie's importance in his life. Speaking to Times Now, he said the film was a "milestone" for him and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The couple got married three months after Guru's release. "But Guru was important, very important, for other reasons," he said.
Role preparation
Bachchan's physical transformation and preparation for 'Guru'
Bachchan spoke about the extreme preparation for his role, including a massive weight gain to play Gurukant Desai. "I had to bulk up considerably. We actors have no choice but to take these risks." "In Guru, it was not only the kilos I had to also change my body language. When he offered me Guru I was not sure I had it in me to pull it off."
Director's faith
Bachchan's gratitude toward Ratnam and father's praise
Bachchan thanked Ratnam for believing in him. "I am thankful to Mani Ratnam for his faith in my abilities," he said. He also remembered the words of praise from his father, Amitabh Bachchan, after Guru released. "I still remember my father's words of praise," he shared, adding it was the best endorsement of his performance he could hope for.
Career collaborations
Bachchan's collaborations with Ratnam and 'Guru' co-stars
Bachchan emphasized his three landmark projects with Ratnam- Yuva, Guru and Ravan. He said each project was special in its own way and he was looking forward to working with Ratnam again. Speaking about Guru, he said it remains one of the landmark projects of his career because of the entire cast including R Madhavan, Vidya Balan, and Mithun Chakraborty. Bachchan was last seen in the drama I Want To Talk.