Actor Vineet Kumar Singh interacted with media ahead of release of his upcoming film ‘Mukkabaaz’ on Tusday in Mumbai. During media interaction, Vineet said that he didn’t believed that Anurag Kashyap was ready to direct film for him.
Earlier, Vineet has worked with Anurag Kashyap in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Ugly’ and ‘Bombay Talkies’, talking about experience of approaching Anurag Kashyap with the script, Vineet said, “ I remember at the night of premiere of ‘Ugly’, Anurag sir told me in front of everyone that I will not cast you in my films as I have worked with you in 3 films so start looking out for work somewhere else so I wasn’t even thinking of approaching Anurag sir with this film’s script but after some time, I went to Anurag sir to get feedback on my script and to incorporate some changes as per his suggestion but when Anurag sir called me after reading the script that is the most important phone call of my life and when he told me that I will direct the film and I will cast you as main lead but after hearing that I wasn’t believing what I was hearing. He put two conditions in front of me that if you will not become boxer for this film then I will not make the film and I will rewrite the script so I was really happy that Anurag sir took the responsibility of writing the script of the film”
Vineet has written basic draft of ‘Mukkabaaz’ so when asked him whether he want to write in future as for films then he said, “See… I am an actor and I always want to work as an actor but after ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’, ‘Bombay Talkies’ and ‘Ugly’, the kind of work I was getting offered was very similar to them so I always used to ask myself that for this I have come here after completing my studies in Medical stream. (Vineet Kumar Singh is MD degree holder in Ayurveda) so I wrote script of this film and I started giving narration of this script to various production houses and I clearly used to tell them that if they like the script then I want to work in that film as a main lead and apart from that, I don’t want anything from you but most of the time people used to say that do some another role in this film or we will give credit as a writer for this film but I was adamant that I wanted to play main lead in this film.”
Talking about his roller coaster journey of getting into mainstream films, Vineet said, “I came in Mumbai with the ambition of becoming an actor. I got my first film through a television talent hunt and I thought that this is it but when that film didn’t worked then all those things happened for which I wasn’t ready at all. I was continuously asking for work but nothing worked out so Mahesh Manjrekar told me to assist him so I did that as well and I always used to feel that now things will turn out but in that course of time, I did 6-7 films but nothing happened then I felt let’s start all over again and I continued my effort. I knew Anurag (Kashyap) sir from the beginning as we both hail from Banaras but Anurag sir used to throw people out as he used to know that a person has approached him with someone’s recommendation and I know some people which are out of them so, I never wanted to fall under that category so I was trying to show him some of my substantial work but to get that kind of significant role, it passed 10 years of my life and when I approached Anurag sir that he luckily casting for ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’”
Talking about his preparation of becoming a boxer for the film, Vineet said, “It was really tough. I never even touched boxing gloves in my life before preparing for this film but I took that as an opportunity to get out of the struggle which I did throughout my life to become an actor. Earlier, I used to feel that I will learn it but it was extremely tough. Boxing is not an easy sport to play. I was going through as per my coaches guidance and in the initial phase, I used to get lot punches from opposite boxers and never used to realize what was happening with me in that point of time and I injured so many times during my training period because I feel a person should have superb neuromuscular reflexes to become a boxer so I am really thankful to all coaches and boxers who helped me in this journey”
When asked how he managed to speak Bhojpuri in ‘Mukkabaaz’ to that, Vineet said, “I am from Banaras and there people speak Bhojpuri so what to manage in that”
Talking about working with Ravi Kishan and Jimmy Shergill in the film, Vineet said, “both of them supported me a lot. Ravi Kishan plays character of my coach in the film but he is always used to guide and protect me in my personal life as elder brother. Jimmy sir look menacing in the film and I haven’t seen him in such threatening role but he is lovely human being and he always used to guide me and I never felt ant disconnect with him and I feel this film is really special for me. I came to Mumbai of with the dream of becoming an actor 17-18 years ago so I immensely thankful to Anurag sir and Anand L. Rai sir that they believed in small town boy like me so I am really extremely happy”
The script of Mukkabaaz was initially written by actor Vineet Singh and few other writers and later Anurag developed it even as the shoot was in progress. The film also stars Jimmy Shergill , Ravi Kishan and Zoya Hussain in lead roles. The film is produced jointly by Anand L Rai and Anurag Kashyap.
Mukkabaaz is set to hit theatres on 12th January 2018.
