Actor Zakir Hussain’s filmography has been a mixed bag with many interesting projects. From serious roles to deadpan humour, he seems to slip into various shades without breaking a sweat. His upcoming project Omprakash Zindabad will see him play a corrupt MLA, who joins forces with localites and scams the government off compensation money for rape victims. He aims to bring another character to life and says he isn’t afraid to portray a morally dubious person onscreen for the sake of the message that is put across.
“Our movies are based on the society and its people. If there is a wrong person among us, then playing that role somehow tells us that such kind of people should not be encouraged and negativity should be avoided. This in itself is a message,” he says.
Zakir then talks in detail about taking up various characters and how they are different from lead or ‘hero’ roles. “Viewers will see the film through his/her eyes and they will get them to watch it. Characters actors like us should be good, that is all right, but the audiences have a preference for a lead actor and that is why they go to the theaters in the first place. In case of new actors, one never knows what might click with the fans. So the journey of every artist is difficult because we are walking down the same road, but lead actors shoulder bigger responsibilities.”
Is the film industry fair in measuring the talent of these character artists? Zakir says, “When an actor starts off his career with a certain role, the directors and producers look to cast him in those roles only because people have accepted them as such (he gives example of his Sarkar character Shahid). This is not a question of capability but the makers are not willing to try them out as much because a trend of sorts begins when people start liking them within a bracket of characters. More than talent, the market matters and it also takes time for the mindset of audience to change. Irrfan (Khan) began with negative roles but became a mainstream hero down the line.”
On working with newcomers, Zakir maintains that he seeks to collaborate with them instead of intimidating them with his presence or skills. “One should not feel hesitant in working with me. The entire scene will be ruined that way. I can’t do anything by myself as it is not a solo performance. For me to shine in a scene, others have to do their part well. I work around the capabilities of my co-stars.”
Zakir will also be seen in a negative role in Indian 2, with Kamal Haasan in the lead. He will reprise his character in Zakir Khan’s comedy Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare 2.
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