Hrithik and I react in the same way as actors - Abhay Deol

Excerpts

How it feels to be in more glamorous and commercial platform then before?

I would have worked in any Karan Johar film or anyone’s films if the script had excited me. It was not that I was not getting offers from top banners. I was not ready to play the idiotic lover in one super star, another hero and 2 heroine projects that were offered where I was supposed to do comedy.

So how did ZNMD happened?

I knew Zoya before; she is someone who would never try to fool the audience. She has the capability to make the viewer identify her thought and feelings in a commercial format. She is the kind of maker who raises the bar. When Zoya pushed me, it was an instant yes. I am thankful to Zoya for having me.

How important is commercial success for an actor?

Now, I have realized the importance of marketing, distribution, standing of a producer. My previous films didn’t find a proper distributor so they failed in spite of being a well made films. ZNMD offered me a role which I believed in and it had a strong backing in the production and distribution department.

How easy or difficult was it for you to share stage with more popular stars like Hrithik, Katrina?

As an actor, I think Hrithik and I react in the same way. I don’t think any actor doesn’t observes, listens and does the scene the way he thinks should be. We all look around what’s happening, how the co-actor is reacting, what are the lines and situations and then do are part. Zoya looked upon us as actors; she treated everybody equally whether it’s Hrithik, Katrina, Farhan, Kalki or me.

How was the experience doing all those adventures in ZNMD?

Pure acting.

You call sky diving, tomato fighting, singing senorita as acting?

(Smiles) see, personally sky diving was something which I was dying to do and got the opportunity here. The tomato fight and senorita song was pure acting.

How?

We shot ‘Tomatina’ at the same place in Buñol near Valencia where the festival takes place every year. We went there when the festival has just ended. We all were sinking in the heat with tomatoes all around. After that we started hating tomatoes. In fact Hrithik, Farhan and I didn,t had tomatoes for a month. Senorita was fun doing it. I took it as acting cause am not quite good in singing.

ZNMD is about friendship, bonding, togetherness, love and life, what’s your funda of life.

I believe in living the life for the moment. We all have a past but it’s all how you take it and make it to make a wonderful today. That’s the reason why ZNMD is special to me. It tells us to live life for the moment.

You believed to have a creative instincts when are you going to fulfill them as a director.

Not in near future. Will do when the time comes. I’m scared of the post production work. That really takes a toll. I have seen how Zoya is mighty tired after her editing schedules.