Actor Narendra Jha is playing a pivotal role in both the big releases of this month—Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees and Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil. The actor, who is now an industry veteran says that it’s an ecstatic feeling to be working in two of the most anticipated films of the year. Talking to InUth over the phone from Mumbai, Jha mentioned his experiences on working in the two films, Box Office expectations and the universal appeal that these films have.
Jha’s last on-screen outing was Mohenjo Daro, another film in which he featured alongside Hrithik Roshan. On the question, whether he fears that the Box Office fate of Kaabil won’t be much as compared to Mohenjo Daro, Narendra Jha says that he’s not somebody who likes to think in those extremes. He said:
Every actor gives his 100% to a film and wants his film to do well in all aspects. Hrithik Roshan is a very hard working actor. The conviction and effort that he puts into his characters are extremely powerful. Kaabil is one film that will reflect the kind of hard work he has done in the film. Having flops and hits is a phase that every actor goes through. And, I believe we live in a country which is very forgivable. It takes only one performance to win the audience’s hearts and get back into the league.
But does this entire hype around the clash of two films bother him? Jha says that there’s an audience for both the films and both the stars enjoy their separate fan-following. He said:
I want both the films to do well. Both the films have been made from equal love and hard work. While one is the story of a man who also has a dark side to him, the other is a love story of a visually impaired man. There is no way Raees and Kaabil can be compared. They are both good commercial films and have everything that an Indian audience wants—emotions, drama, songs, dialogues, action etc.
What about the good content? Can both Raees and Kaabil be considered as films which are rich in content? A confident Jha mentions that there’s no doubt that audience will like both the films. He elaborates:
Cinema is changing for good. We have completely commercial films like Dangal making it big and being appreciated widely. Now, Raees and Kaabil also have all the elements that intrigue audience to the theatres. Both the films have a story with thought, dance numbers, good music and a popular starcast. There’s no reason why any one of them will not appeal to the viewer.
When asked how different was his experience working with the two actors in these films, Jha revealed the special qualities that SRK and Hrithik possess. He says:
With Shah Rukh Khan, there’s a family mood on the sets. He has so much love to give to everybody. He takes care of every one on the sets and makes sure all people around him are at peace with the work. With Hrithik, one just can’t resist but get inspired by the conviction he has for his work. He is constantly working on making his craft better and it’s such a good thing that adds to your experience from a film.
Raees and Kaabil are slated to hit the screens on 25th January, a day before the Republic Day.
