Testing new waters

Actor Suman, who is playing the antagonist in Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Gabbar Is Back’, says the Khiladi Kumar complimented him during the action sequences. “He said for my age I was athletic. It was an admiring comment, especially coming from a man who very rarely appreciates others efforts,” says the veteran actor.

“I had two action blocks with him and they were conceived and filmed naturally.”Talking about how he got the offer, he recalls, “I got a call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s office asking whether I was interested in Hindi cinema. I said yes and then Sabina Khan, co-producer of the film, spoke to me. Things fell in place straightaway.”

Even before ‘Gabbar Is Back’, Suman was flooded with offers from B-town but he turned them down. “The Hindi dubbed version of ‘Shivaji’ got me good recognition across the northern belt. I did get four to five offers but since the production houses were not really big I couldn’t accept them,” he states, adding, “I was waiting for a right production house and the right director to make my Bollywood debut.”

While it is Akshay Kumar he credits for having brought him to the folds, director Krish also had Suman as one of his three choices to play the villain. “I did watch Krish’s Telugu work and was keen on collaborating with him.

I’m glad that my first project with him turned out to be ‘Gabbar Is Back’.”The actor plays a north Indian in the film and naturally it was difficult to essay the character. “I did feel uneasy with the language at the start but both Akshay and Krish were of immense help.”