Love to face fear: Vidyut Jammwal
The actor choreographs most of his action sequences
In 2023, action films like ‘Jawan’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Animal’ injected fresh energy into the Bollywood box office. But there’s one actor who has redefined the genre and has become a synonym for death-defying stunts and high-octane combat scenes: Vidyut Jammwal. His latest film, ‘Crakk: Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa’, is billed as India’s first extreme sports action movie. Despite his fearless image, Jammwal confessed to harbouring fears even when performing small stunts. In Kolkata, for the promotion of ‘Crakk’, ‘Millennium Post’ caught up with Jammwal on his action-packed career.
How do you ensure each of your action films, like ‘Force’, ‘Commando’, ‘Khuda Haafiz’, ‘IB71’ and now ‘Crakk’, stands out with its own uniqueness?
For my audience, there’s always anticipation about what I will do next in my films. With ‘Crakk’, I aimed to push boundaries even more. I’m a fan of movies like ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘Fast & Furious’ and it’s energising to hear that we’ve exceeded the action standards set by Indian cinema. I take pride in saying that what we’ve done in ‘Crakk’ is unmatched worldwide. Despite the risks, there’s a standout bridge sequence we were advised against, but I love taking risks. I can confidently say I’m one of the few actors globally who has done some of the toughest stunts. Raising the bar is something I enjoy.
With ‘Crakk’, you have also turned producer. Was it an added pressure?
No, it’s an advantage. As a producer, I now have the freedom to take on challenges like the bridge stunt that may not have been possible earlier. Not every producer might have taken that risk. The film’s opening sequence, set on a train, holds a special connection for me. Back when I lived in Kolkata, during Diwali, we would travel by train to Nungi to buy firecrackers. It reflects the daring work of people selling goods on trains, moving between them - a risky profession that deserves acknowledgment.
Do you also choreograph the action sequences?
Most of the time, I choreograph the action in my films. But with ‘Crakk’, it was different. This time, we had the best action directors and therefore, this time, my job was to do the action sequences well.
You have done ‘Sanak’ with Rukmini Maitra and now she features in a special song in ‘Crakk’.
Very few times can you call up a person and ask for a favour. Rukmini is a true friend. I informed her about a song sequence and she graciously agreed. I would love to work with her again.
You seem fearless when doing action scenes.
But I am full of fear and I love to face the fears. Even for a small stunt, there’s fear. If you are not scared of something, it will kill you. You can’t believe you are indispensable to the world.
Action films like ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’, ‘Animal’, ‘Tiger 3’ and ‘Gadar 2’ have performed well at the box office in the last year.
Action films have always been there. I did ‘IB71’ and ‘Sanak’. I love action. I haven’t watched ‘Animal’ yet, but I loved ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan’.
