Jaideep Ahlawat recalls rejecting 'weird, negative characters' after 'Commando'
What's the story
Jaideep Ahlawat, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Rockstar, recently spoke about typecasting in Bollywood. In an interview with News18, he recalled rejecting negative characters because they were extremely similar to his villainous role in Commando. He said, "Everybody started coming to me with roles with that kind of weirdness - basically aap gadhe ho. It was very annoying!"
Negative roles
'Once a character is over, it's done'
Ahlawat revealed, "I started getting offered a lot of weird, negative characters. The character I played in that film was a little weird and off." "Once you do something different, every second script that comes to you starts looking exactly the same." "Why should I take them up? Once a character is over, it's done. I don't want to play it again."
Actor's view
Ahlawat's perspective on pay disparity in Bollywood
He also echoed the sentiments of Manoj Bajpayee, who had earlier talked about Bollywood's pay disparity and called himself "cheap labor." Ahlawat said, "I agree with Manoj bhai. That very much happens." He emphasized that this change needs to happen in mainstream cinema. "Commercial cinema is like a race. Horse races hota hai na... kisi ghode pe paise lagaaoge, toh woh jeetega hi kyunki aap ko pata hai ki woh jeet ne ke laayak hai," he said.
Casting insights
Ahlawat's thoughts on casting and storytelling in Bollywood
Ahlawat further explained his views on casting and storytelling in Bollywood. He said, "If I'm putting in ₹100 crore on a film, I'll look for a face who I know can give me ₹200 crore." "This change has to come from the top - producers and directors. I always say this - ek naayak ki kahaani nahi hoti hai, ek kahaani ka naayak hota hai."
Career progression
Ahlawat's journey and industry perception post-'Paatal Lok'
Ahlawat also spoke about his career journey and how it has changed after working on acclaimed shows like Paatal Lok. He said, "I would say that I now have some kind of access to certain filmmakers and production houses [which I didn't have earlier]. People have accepted me in some ways." "That's why my reach has increased, relatively."