Dulquer Salmaan on missing Thug Life, health struggles, career slowdown
Despite his growing popularity, Dulquer Salmaan admitted he feels “way behind” his peers, particularly in comparison to his father, Mammootty, who has completed over 400 films.
Updated : October 12, 2024 01:41 PM ISTDespite his growing popularity, Dulquer Salmaan admitted he feels “way behind” his peers, particularly in comparison to his father, Mammootty, who has completed over 400 films.
Dulquer Salmaan
While promoting his latest Telugu movie, Lucky Bhaskar, actor Dulquer Salmaan opened up about the relatively slow pace of his career in the past two years, expressing frustration over not being able to take on more projects. Despite being a prominent actor across multiple film industries, Dulquer acknowledged that he had fallen behind his peers, particularly in the Malayalam film industry.
"I have done about 45 films in my 13-year career, but compared to my counterparts, I'm way behind," Dulquer shared. He noted that his father, legendary actor Mammootty, had completed over 400 films and remains as passionate as ever. "My father is always thinking about his characters and movies, even when he's at home. One day, he suddenly snapped his fingers and said, 'I got it.' I asked what, and he replied, 'My character.' He was talking about the movie he was going to start shooting in a few weeks. He's a one-track mind," Dulquer added, praising his father's dedication to his craft.
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Dulquer was originally cast in a key role for Mani Ratnam's upcoming film Thug Life, which would have given him the opportunity to share the screen with Kamal Haasan. However, due to health issues, Dulquer had to withdraw from the project, and actor Simbu was brought in to replace him. "The last two years have been slow. This last year I did only one film. Some of my other films didn't work out, health wasn't that great," he rued.
Dulquer also recalled his early days in the industry, admitting that he had doubts about his longevity. "My big question when I became an actor was, will I get a second film, a third film? How long will I last? Will people be able to watch me for two hours? These were the big questions I had," he said, reflecting on his journey and the pressures of living up to his father’s immense legacy.
After being in the production for a long time, Lucky Bhaskar is now gearing up for the release targeting the Diwali holiday. Written and directed by Venky Atluri, the film stars Meenakshi Chaudhary as the female lead.