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'I need to get there': Dulquer Salmaan opens up on what he'd like to learn from Mammootty

The actor reveals what he admires about his father's work

Coming from a prestigious film family in Kerala, Dulquer Salmaan has carved out his own unique path. Despite his lineage as the son of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, Dulquer began his acting journey with the Malayalam film Second Show in 2012. Over the years, he has expanded his presence across various film industries, achieving pan-Indian recognition.

In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, the actor who has garnered critical and popular acclaim was quoted as saying, “When I had started out, my reading of my favourite actors was that I love watching them onscreen and when I don’t see them in a scene, I miss them. And that’s a quality which you can’t pinpoint or just develop. It’s something that the audience connects with. That was my fear before getting into films… if people will be able to watch me, will they like me onscreen, if I’m not there onscreen, will they miss, do I have that quality?”

While the past eleven years have boosted his self-assurance in his craft, Dulquer admits he remains the same person who finds it challenging to watch himself on screen. “I think all of us, actors, find it weird to watch ourselves on the screen beyond a point. I can watch my content as soon as it comes out and maybe a few times after that just to see how it has turned out but it feels weird to go back to it after a while. We’re all constantly growing and so, when I watch my earlier work, I feel, ‘Oh my god, what was I doing? I could’ve done it so much better'," he adds.

When asked what his biggest learning has been from his father, he added, “I think it’s good to learn. I see my dad revisiting his old work and performances from the eighties and I think it’s a good practice. I think I need to get there."

Currently, Dulquer eagerly anticipates the release of the Netflix show Guns & Gulaabs, marking his first foray into the world of web series. This project also marks his collaboration with renowned filmmaker duo Raj and DK. When asked about his experience being part of their creative world, he says, "Yes, 'joy’ is a good word. They’re great fun. They’re also such great writers and filmmakers. You work with them but it doesn’t really feel like work.”

Dulquer expresses his delight at sharing screen space with Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, and Gulshan Devaiah in the movie Sita Ramam, stating: “I got to meet Raj at work. We’ve known each other from events and stuff we attended together where we interacted a few times. It was great to see him at work. I’ve always loved Adarsh’s work. I discovered that he likes pizza. He looks at it with a lot of love and I don’t think he looks at even women like that (laughs). As for Gulshan, he loves to sing first thing in the morning.”

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