Bobby Deol recently opened up about sharing the screen with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay in “Jana Nayagan”.
In a recent interview, Deol lauded Vijay's immense humility and quiet demeanour. He also highlighted the incredible, worship-like devotion of South Indian movie fans, calling the regional film culture incredibly unique.
Bobby said most of “Jana Nayagan” was filmed on studio sets because of Vijay's immense popularity. "It's a fact. No work will happen if you take him on the street. He's that big," he said.
Even though the two stars didn’t get to spend a massive amount of time talking on set, Vijay left a lasting impression on Bobby as "a very simple man, very quiet, very much to himself," despite his stardom. The shoot wasn't without its hurdles, though. Deol opened up about facing a language barrier, revealing that he constantly looked to the director to help decode conversations happening around him in Tamil.
Sharing his experience of working in South Indian cinema, including Telugu film “Daaku Maharaaj”, Bobby said actors in the South are revered by fans. "There they worship the actors. It's amazing how united they stand for the film industry," he said.
Also read: Freelance editor, 2 others held in 'Jana Nayagan' film leak case
Bobby also looked back fondly on the Celebrity Cricket League, specifically remembering what it was like sharing the field with superstar Mohanlal. He described the electric atmosphere of the matches, where wave after wave of fans would arrive by the busload, turning sports stadiums into roaring arenas of pure adoration for their regional cinema heroes.
"That’s the difference regionally and how united they stand for their actors and the film industry. He doesn't do too many promotions or interviews, but that's how he likes it," the actor added.
The “Animal” star revealed that Vijay once shared with him he had acted in Villu (2009), the Tamil remake of Bobby’s 1998 Hindi film “Soldier”.
Hours before the film's theatrical release, Vijay reportedly attended a special screening of the film in Adyar, Chennai.
“Jana Nayagan”, billed as Vijay’s last film before fully stepping into politics with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was initially set to be released on Pongal this January. Delayed by certification issues, “Jana Nayagan” finally hit the screens on July 23.
Directed by H Vinoth and produced by Venkat K. Narayana, “Jana Nayagan” also features Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.
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