We got into a conversation with Sahil Salathia prior to the release of his Bollywood debut Panipat. He shared all that went into prepping for his character, Shamsher Bahadur and the movie. Keep reading as we get into a candid chat with him!
Indian supermodel turned actor, Sahil Salathia, who made his debut in acting with Ashutosh Gowariker's Television series Everest has made his Bollywood debut with Panipat directed by the same director. He also played a notable character in the TV series P.O.W- Bandhi Yuddh ke. He was a finalist at the Mr India contest of 2012 in Hong Kong and went on to become the face of various brands. Sahil Salathia has also appeared on the cover of India Today and Men's Health India as well as magazines like as Maxim, GQ and Hello to name a few.
Apart from finding his comfort in front of the camera, Sahil Salathia is also a travel enthusiast and a fitness freak. And not to forget, father to the cutest pup!
Here is how our chat with Sahil Salathia went...
1) So, how are the promotions for Panipat going currently?
"Promotions are going great. I am liking the whole experience. It feels great to be part of this amazing film and promoting it."
2) What made you want to do a period film?
"You know I always believe that you don't choose the script, it chooses you. And Panipat is very special because the character that I play, Shamsher Bahadur, is an iconic character. It is a great character whose story is not known by many. It is very important for people to know his story. You know, I have worked with Ashutosh Gowariker in the show Everest, and that itself was a great opportunity for me as an actor. And for me to be able to work with him again on Panipat was the best thing I could have asked for. My 2nd web series with Nikhil Advani called P.O.W Bandi Yuddh Ke which was something that taught me a lot. The fact is, I have always been in awe of the directors I have worked with. Also, I don't come from a family that is into films. I am from outside this industry but that doesn't matter. I may say this, but I personally am also very picky when it comes to choosing scripts. I am very picky and choosy."
3) You play the character of Shamsher Bahadur who is Bajirao and Mastani's son. How much research went into the prep?
"A lot of research went into it. When you are making a movie on such a large scale you have to make sure that you do complete justice to it. Also, the whole idea of the movie is based on the Director. The vision is that of the filmmaker and for a character like Shamsher Bahadur knowing him was very important. He is not just a regular guy, he is a warrior who and leader whom people looked up to. Also, he is well-trained in horse-riding that was something that I had to be sure about. In fact, I should be able to fly a horse now (laughs). Then, I also had to learn sword fighting. Another thing that also went into the research was getting the body language right. Also, since Shamsher is the son of Bajirao and Mastani there is an influence of both the languages on him, so getting the diction right was also very important."
4) Did you have to go under any physical transformations for the role?
"Yes, yes. Physically gained a few kilos. I was leaner when I auditioned for the role and then had to put up a few kilos and look that part because he is a warrior and his physique will reflect the same. We have been filming for a year and I started gaining from October onwards and had to go through a good amount of training for the same as I had to look bulkier. If you would have noticed I had a moustache before, but I don a beard in the movie, so the whole look, beard and moustache every single detail were taken care of to recreate the look. And I would like to thank the costume and the makeup, you know, Neeta Lulla for bringing Shamsher to life."
5) What did you do to get the look and mannerisms right, since there are no video references, only stories that we hear and how the director visualises it?,
"So, I one thing I tried to do is to get the right voice tone. I have made my voice a bit deeper as in natural and deeper. I am a trained actor from Barry John Acting School, so I was taught as to how I can get the mannerisms right to bring a character to life. And also even though we don't know him, even if he is a warrior he is still a common man and human just like us. He may become that fierce leader and warrior when he has to lead the people but will be vulnerable and soft when he is with his family. So, yaa he has that human drama and toughness on the battlefield."
6) How was it working with Arjun Kapoor?
"Arjun was wonderful. We have been filming together for almost a year and I have noticed that he is always joking. He is a very witty person and he has done really great in the movie, you'll get to know when you'll watch the movie. So, if you ask me to describe him in one word, I'll say he is witty. We have great chemistry also since we had a closed circle on the set. He is really great."
7) And what is the one thing that the audiences will love about the film?
"The audiences are going to love the authentic culture. It is the way of storytelling that will be loved by the audience and the main credit for it definitely goes to the director. At the end of the day, cinema is for entertainment and this movie is also aimed at entertaining the audiences. It will indulge you. So, this movie is a combination of both entertainment and information. It also aims at the commercial aspect."
What are your future projects?
"I have already signed a web series with Nikhil Advani during the shoot of Panipat which is a crazy part and I'm really excited about it. I can't definitely can't talk about it. But yaa I'm really excited about the part. But for now, my only focus is on Panipat."
We surely can't wait to watch Sahil Salathia on the big screen!
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