With Rakesh Bedi’s meteoric rise in Dhurandhar The Revenge, life is no more the same for the veteran actor.
“Need kam ho gai hai, par sukoon main dhoond leta hoon, else you won’t be able to survive. Now live interviews, podcasts, band shoots, endorsements, plays and reels – these things are taking too much of my time and I am enjoying it,” he tells HT City.
The 71-year-old actor says he has had several successful phases, but this one is exceptional.
“Now, the definition of success has changed. I have had similar wonderful successful phases in my life – Ek Duje Ke Liye (1981), Chashme Badoor, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Shrimaan Shrimati (1994) – but this is very different. We did not have social media then, but now, due to that, success grows 1000x while the negative part can be minimized at the same pace.”
He explains, “Before Dhurandhar, I had some two lakh followers which have tripled. I used to wonder how these influencers have multi-million followers – aisa kya karte hain yeh? But today a reel can do that in one night which used to take years to achieve – which I’m still not able to digest, but that is happening! And, that’s the way it is, and I too am going with the tide!”
The actor admits that he is flooded with offers and “trying to manage maximum considering the physical constraints (age) in account” and is refusing things as well.
Bedi realises the fact that this is unprecedented and it would be tough to replicate it. “To match the standard and expectation is not only tough for me but everyone else as well – director (Aditya Dhar), writers…. We did not have another (two-part film) Godfather after that. These are once-in-a-lifetime things, and for many such waves don’t come at all. We all live for such a day,” he adds.
The actor will be next seen in David Dhawan’s Hai Jawani to Ishq Hona Hai and OTT series Raakh. “There are other projects as well, but it’s too early to talk about it,” he signs off.
Nabil loves me
On comparison with Nabil Gabol and his reactions from the Pakistani politician, he says, “We both resemble each other, but that does not mean that I have impersonated him. I have not copied him at all! Initially, after the first part, woh thode naraaz the, wanted to file a case against me. Par after the sequel, unhen humse mohabbat ho gai hai!”
