“Yes, I am Bhagyashree's son but am I the Bhagyashree the actress's son?” says Abhimanyu Dassani who is all set to get launched in Vasan Bala’s Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota.
The movie chronicles the story of a young man born without pain receptors, also known as congenital insensitivity to pain. The movie has travelled to multiple film festivals and has earned a lot of appreciation.
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota won the top award at the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, which was India's first-ever entry into the festival's "Midnight Madness" segment, won the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award.
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota premiered in India at the 20th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival got a standing ovation from the audience and members of the fraternity.
Q: How did you prepare for this role?
Abhimanyu Dassani: I spent a lot of time with Vasan sir, just discussing what Surya would be like in different situations. How would he react? We connected to different books, films. I got to speak to a lot of people who have parts of this disease.
Q: Did you put yourself through pain?
Abhimanyu: I didn’t put myself through... not that kind of pain but while shooting there were a lot of injuries that I went through. That is ‘Cause I did all the stunts myself. I learnt martial arts from scratch. Self defence, boxing. I had to get in to shape. First half of the film I am playing an 18-year-old chubby boy. Second half, I am playing a 22-year-old, who wants to be a vigilante hero. So, that transformation was there. There was a sense of calm that Surya has. I had to do a lot of meditation for that. Last 3 months, before I started shooting for the film, I went into isolation. So, I didn’t speak to anyone else other than my trainer and Vasan sir. Everyone in the house was so pissed at me.
The movie is releasing on 21 March 2019 and it is also clashing with Akshay Kumar’s Kesari.
Q: The Indian audience is also going through a dilemma because on the same date there is Akshay Kumar’s Kesari. I really liked the fact that you went all like, ‘I am looking forward to this film’.
Abhimanyu: Absolutely, I have been a fan of Akshay sir since Khiladi days. We grew up on those movies and it’s always fantastic to see what he does with his films.
Q: Do you think it’s going to affect Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota?
Abhimanyu: I mean, I am going to go watch Kesari on the weekend guys. Okay, I’ll go watch Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. Who is going to come watch my film?
Abhimanyu is also the son of Bhagyashree (the lead actor from Maine Pyaar Kiya).
Q: Is there any pressure when people go like he’s the son of Bhagyashree?
Abhimanyu: I keep saying this, that when you call me Bhagyashree the actress’s son. I don’t deserve that credit. I haven’t done anything to deserve that credit and that’s why I say, ‘Yes, I am Bhagyashree’s son but am I the Bhagyashree the actress’s son?’ What my mom did with Maine Pyar Kiya was a film 30 years ago. When we go to vacations, people still recognise her as Suman.
For more insight about Abhimanyu’s character in Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, watch the video.
The movie will be releasing on 21 March and starring alongside Abhimanyu is Radhika Madan, Gulshan Devaiya and Mahesh Manjrekar.
Editor: Veeru Krishan Mohan
Producer: Bilal Jaleel
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