'I never thought my bad guy persona would be appreciated so widely' says Bobby Deol ahead of TV premiere of Love Hostel

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, July 2

All is fair in love and war! Presenting one such tale of innocent lovers and a lethal hitman, jahan hogi Fight love and Life ki with the world television premiere of Love Hostel on July 2 at 10pm on &pictures. Taking us through the process of prepping for one of his role of villain Dagar, to his views on love and relationships, Bobby Deol talks about Love Hostel and more.

Grey characters are gaining momentum like never before, what do you have to say about it?

Roles of villains have evolved over the years. Now, these characters are made more life-like, which makes it easier for the audience to connect with them. While playing Dagar, I made sure to look the part, talk like him and follow every detail mentioned in the script. I think these details made Dagar stand out. The same goes for any grey characters we see on screen these days, they are written with great detail and have a strong story backing the character.

What attracted you to this particular character?

There’s always a moment in life that changes you completely - for better or worse. Dagar is one of those characters whose life took a dark turn and transformed him into a ruthless man. I have been looking for characters that stand out and this was one of them. It's once-in-a-lifetime character. It was a challenge to get into the skin of Dagar mainly because it was something I had never played before. This is what really drove me to play this character and explore the dark and twisted side that came with it. As of recently, I have been really enjoying delving into dark characters in general. I am being able to showcase a side of me, as an actor, that I never got the chance to before.

Your character in the film received a really good response, we're keen to know your reaction? Did you ever think you would be a great bad guy?

To be honest, I never thought my bad guy persona would be appreciated so widely. I explored the tricky terrain of playing a grey character with Baba Nirala and I enjoyed taking up that challenge and the response pushed me to take on projects that tested my limits. With Love Hostel, Dagar gave me the opportunity to create something totally different. I remember my son reacting to my look in the film; he said that my look in the film was ‘sick’, I couldn’t comprehend what it meant but apparently it meant that it was really good. That made me see how our characters are reaching a fresh set of generations and getting appreciated. It’s my time to explore now, I feel.

Watch the trailer of Love Hostel: 

Vikrant Massey and Sanya Malhotra are actors from a new generation. How was working with them?

They are brilliant at their craft. They're so young but they don't take anything for granted. Although I did not have enough interaction with them on-screen, it was fun to watch them give their takes with such finesse. I spent a lot of my time on the set just observing the process, getting myself acquainted with the mood, so I could channel Dagar's emotions in the right way.

You speak Haryanvi in the film. Was it difficult to get the dialect right? Is this the first time you have done something like this?

Getting the diction right was at the very core of Dagar’s character. I have never tried my hand at the Haryanvi language, so I was a clean slate when I started taking the lessons. It was challenging yet exciting at the same time. I wanted to perfect it so that my character sounds authentic. I remember, I was so nervous that I used to practice my lines with our director - Shankar Raman over dinner at the location of the shoot. And it feels great to conquer such challenges.

Do you feel love has no boundaries or should it have some? Any advice for die-hard lovers out there?

I believe there’s no stronger force than love and I can attest that with the experiences that I have had. While it goes through many ups and downs, if it’s meant to be, you either fight for it or you let it go. Back then it was a taboo to be in a relationship, but now we openly accept these experiences because we know that it teaches us life lessons that cannot be taught otherwise. From my experience, I would like to establish a safe ground with my kids where they feel comfortable to discuss their love life issues or we can help them through their heartbreaks.

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