Winning hearts as Balli in Dunki, Anil on how working with Shah Rukh, Taapsee and Hirani was like attending a film school
Anil Grover (right) with co-stars Khan, Pannu and Kochhar
Anil Grover probably echoes the thought of many aspiring actors when he says, “I was willing to stand in a corner in a Shah Rukh Khan film.” But the actor was firmly in the spotlight, as he portrayed one of the key characters in the Khan-led Dunki. Grover plays Balli, a tailor’s son in Punjab, who aspires to head to England in the hope of a brighter future, in Rajkumar Hirani’s latest directorial venture. He shares, “We worked on the film for two years. I found similarities between Balli and me, starting with the small-town-boy vibe. Like him, I have been everywhere and yet belong nowhere. I’ve lived in Delhi, Chandigarh, and now Mumbai. I researched a lot to create a back-story, and the director gave me liberty to run with the story. I never went to a film school, and the Raju Hirani movie was an institute of filmmaking.”
What helped the actor was having fabulous co-stars in Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal and Vikram Kochhar. “Vicky paaji was a gem to work with, and Taapsee made me feel so comfortable on set. I never worried that I won’t shine. It was a film that I learnt from.” His actor-brother Sunil Grover was another source of support. “My brother has done so well, but he never stops working hard. He is my guiding light. Every time I get stuck, he pushes me to try again.”
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Four days into Dunki’s release, Grover laughs that he is “underslept, overfed and happier than ever”. His biggest joy—working with the superstar. “I have grown up on stories of conquerors, but there isn’t anyone who loves and conquers like Mr Khan.”
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