Anil Sharma's highly anticipated film, ‘Gadar 2’, hit theaters a fortnight ago, delivering a blockbuster opening and sustaining its strong performance at the ticket counters. Against this backdrop, Sham Kaushal, a seasoned action director, is effusive in his admiration for Sunny Deol.
Reflecting on his collaboration with Sunny, the veteran action director delved into their creative journey and the conceptualization of the iconic handpump scene, which struck a chord with audiences. The 'handpump' sequence was a pivotal moment in the original 2001 movie, ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, and has been reprised in the sequel.
In a discussion with India Today, Sham Kaushal revealed that he meticulously crafted the handpump's portrayal, endowing it with a magnificence and presence that rivaled Sunny's character, Tara Singh. He also lauded Sunny's demeanor on set—calm and composed during preparations, yet seamlessly transforming into a dynamic persona as soon as the director signaled the start of filming.
He said, “He is a cool guy, we’d greet each other with a Punjabi jhappi when we’d meet on set. He becomes a different person after starting camera action. Otherwise, he is shaant, lagta hai devta ka roop hai. He’s a very sweet person, he behaves in a very unhurried manner, but when he is unleashed on screen, it’s like watching a lion.”
Talking about the handpump scene, Sham Kaushal then said, “It started on the page, with the writing and the direction. But executing it was my responsibility. Even a slight change to the closeups in that sequence would have ruined it. My take on it was this: that the handpump wasn’t a handpump, but an even bigger hero than Sunny Deol had suddenly appeared off-screen behind him. We didn’t immediately reveal who he’d seen out of frame, but made it seem like an even bigger Hulk was standing there. Then we added reactions, built tension, and only then did we reveal the handpump. If we’d revealed the handpump immediately, it wouldn’t have been as fun.”
(Also Read: Gadar 2: Sunny Deol Gets Emotional As His Film Crosses The Rs 400-Crore Mark)
For those unfamiliar, Sham Kaushal is also the father of actors Vicky Kaushal and Sunny Kaushal.
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