Vineet Kumar Singh, who played a pivotal role of Kavi Kalash in the outstanding Chhaava and garnered rave reviews discusses in a fascia sting conversation, with Subhash K Jha, the affect of playing his part in this epic film and more.
Vineet, how has Chhaava changed your life?
Sir, after Chhaava, it feels like I am experiencing something new, the experiences that I am having; I have never experienced anything like this. I have been a part of the Indian film industry for more than 20 years; it has been around 23 years. But I have never had this experience. In fact, when Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkabaaz came in 2017, where I played the lead, even then, I did not experience anything like this.
Der aaye durust aaye? (Better late than never)
Jee, Sir. I have been working continuously. I have hardly had four hours of sleep in the last few days because I was shooting day and night, so I was in Hyderabad and then just now, after finishing that night shift, I have come here to Mumbai, and since morning, I am busy with things here because The Superboys of Malegaon is also releasing, 28th of Feb, so it has been going on like this for the last several days.
What changes have you noticed since Chhaava?
I am travelling, meeting so many people, everything is completely changed, people are approaching me in a very different way. They are meeting me as if I am have just taken birth as an actor. Sir, I have no words to describe my feelings. I am yet to process my feeling.
What was your initial reaction when you were offered the role of Kavi Kalash?
I immediately knew it was something very special. While reading the script, I felt that, yes, this film would touch people’s hearts. When I reached the climax, that film charged me very emotionally, and I was sure that this film would touch people’s hearts. The culmination of the friendship that we get to see in the film …how Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and poet Kalashji’s friendship reaches a different level.
When, according to you, did their friendship reach a turning point?
It was when Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj told my character Kalash you should immediately leave for Raigadh so that there would be someone there who could take care of and protect those values, those ideas that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had given of Hindutva Swarajya. But even after getting that opportunity, poet Kalashji himself chose to stay with Maharaj. He knew that staying with Chhatrapati Shivaji means embracing death, what can be more valuable than that in the world?
Tell me about the stunning climax of the film.
The design of the climax fight of Chhaava was such that the brief that Laxman Sir gave to us was that a lot of people have gathered in a small space, so small weapons are used in the beginning, so the normal weapons are there. The fight starts with small weapons, so Kavi Kalash has small weapons in his hand; initially, he has a sword, but gradually, the weapons keep changing, and it is a very close fight that in the space in which normally six people can stand, in the same space about forty people stand and fight, and there was no space to breathe. It is an entirely emotionally charged fight. This was a fight for the honour and prestige of the Maratha Empire and our characters were ready for whatever sacrifices they have to make in it, so it was fully emotionally charged moment. The choreography was in keeping with the tense mood. Action director Parvez Shaikh and his team designed the entire action as similar to the fight that happened in real life. It started at night when the Mughals attacked. Aurangzeb’s army attacked, and there were 150 people here and around 5000 people came, so the fight started at night and the next day when it was morning and the Marathas were still fighting. The combat goes into a very spiritual state. The fact that there is a scene of poetry … it’s not just words; it’s coming from the the soul. We were shooting in a trance.
Your character’s loyalty and friendship are now being hailed as exemplary?
We had a feeling that people will accept this film, they will like it, but I did not think that it would be such a big hit. Now, when I visit theatres, what I am experiencing is that people have adopted me. Children when the children see that I am alive, they come and hug me; they cling to me; people are crying, and they hug me like one of their own. When I was coming from the airport there were some people, they held me like a mother holds her child’s cheeks. I have never experienced these kind of things. Yes, Sir, it seems that things have changed on a very big scale. I am feeling it; I am enjoying it; I am trying to feel it; it also seems like a dream; it feels like it has actually happened because for so many years, after so many attempts, many times, it felt that now it will happen, now it will happen, but maybe it was written to happen with this film.
You seem very excited.
Yes, Sir, I am in the same phase right now, plus on the 28th, Superboys Of Malegaon is going to be released, so I am in the hustle and bustle of that as well. After the 28th, I will calm down a bit; I mean, the hustle and bustle will be less. After that, there is also the immediate shoot of Jat; the shoot of Jat is also going on.
Are your forthcoming projects going to live up to the newly triggered expectations?
I understand that their expectations from me are high, so I am ready to accept this responsibility. Sir, I will experiment. I will also challenge myself to do some new things like this historical film. I had never done it before. I didn’t even have any such picture in which I could be seen in such a getup; there was no reference point. I am very grateful to director Laxman Utekar Sir and casting director Vaibhav Vishant for selecting me. I am very grateful to Maddock Films, Dinesh Vijan, Pooja Vijan and the entire team for selecting me. Laxman Sir did not even audition me for this. It was such a big film, Sir. I did not even have a single photo, and despite that, Laxman Utekar had this faith. He had said that in this role, I am seeing you and only you, so in the end, I will say thank you so much, Laxman sir, for giving me this role and the love that the audience has given me. I will try not to disappoint.
