Delhi theatre actor Anant Vidhaat’s scene-stealing act as Salman’s loyal friend Govind is one of the major talking points in Sultan.
Says the actor, “I’ve done two films (Mardaani and Gunday) before this for Yash Raj films. I got Gunday because the director Ali Abbas Zafar and I were in the same theatre group in Delhi. He remembered me when he was casting. When the role of Salman Sir’s best friend for Sultan came up, I was called for an audition.”
He adds, “I am grateful for all the attention. There’s a lot of inquiry about who I am, where I come from, etc. This is a recognition on another level altogether. I can’t thank Ali and Salman Sir enough for the faith they showed in me.”
Anant says Salman put him at ease and treated him like a co-star from day one. “Right at the start of shooting when I was very nervous about facing the camera with Salman. He called me aside and said, ‘Agar tum achche dikhoge toh main achcha dikhunga, agar tum achche nahin dikhoge toh main bhi achcha nahin dikhunga.’ That broke the ice. From that moment onwards, Salman Sir laid down the mood for the film.We shot as two co-stars and I was never made to feel I was working with a superstar.”
Anant says he had no problems adjusting to Salman’s style. “We do a lot of rehearsal in theatre. But we also do a lot of improvisation. So I had no difficulty in catching on to Salman’s Sir’s sur. A lot of what we do on stage is impromptu. And that’s Salman Sir’s style. While working with him I never knew what to expect. That element of surprise was an ongoing thrill while shooting.”
The reason Anant’s role has turned out so effectively is because the writing was conducive to a creative environment. Explains Anant, “My character has a responsibility. He has to tell Sultan’s story. Normally, roles of the hero’s friends are not written so well in Hindi films. I was not sure at first. But I am glad I did the role. Now when I am offered a routine hero’s friend’s role I can always argue, ‘I’ve played Salman’s friend. How can I play anyone else’s friend?’”
