Vijay Sethupathi said yes to 'Jawan' just for SRK, Atlee
What's the story
Vijay Sethupathi, who played the antagonist Kalee Gaikwad in Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan, has revealed why he chose to be part of the film. Speaking to Variety India, the actor said he was drawn to the project because of Khan and director Atlee. "I like the way Atlee makes his films. I like the way he works, and then obviously it was about Shah Rukh sir. That's all. Just for them only I did that film."
Director's approach
Sethupathi praises Atlee's filmmaking style
Sethupathi further elaborated on his admiration for Atlee, saying, "He knows where the scene or shot should rise and how to make it engaging." He added that he appreciates the director's confidence in his scenes. The actor also revealed that a memorable moment between him and Khan was improvised during dubbing, not on set.
Unscripted magic
'Jawan's memorable scene was improvised during dubbing
Sethupathi shared an anecdote about a scene where he enters with a baseball bat, just before the climax. "As a villain, I come in with the father character (played by Khan) inside the jail." "During the back shot, he asked me to say, 'Santa has come and has a gift for you.' So I tried to sing the song and match it with the body language."
Dubbing assistance
Sethupathi added this line to the scene
Sethupathi further explained that the scene was not finalized during filming but was added during dubbing. "When they were kneeling down, he told me to laugh like Santa, saying 'ho ho ho.' He showed me how to do it." The actor added that this unscripted moment made it into the final cut of the film. Jawan also starred Nayanthara, Deepika Padukone, Sanya Malhotra and Priyamani. It was produced by Red Chillies Entertainment.