Loving the mafiadom

It is ironical that though actor Randeep Hooda finds bhai-type dialogues in films very wannabe and fake, he keeps getting roles in gangster flims. This intense actor, known for his portrayals in D, Risk, and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, has recently taken on Informer, a suspense- thriller. With the underworld again making news in Mumbai, CS finds out why the mafia intrigues filmmakers and actors:



Mafia mania
An underworld character offers situations and actions which are larger than everyday life, hence there's scope for more drama. There are more life and death questions asked in that particular character's life than, let's say, an accountant's life. The same goes for cops or maybe dacoits. So, when you create a storyline that's inspired by various real life incidents involving the underworld and fictionalise it, it makes for a very interesting watch.

Into a gangster's mind
I don't take up roles just because I've to play a cop or a gangster. What is important is to look at them as human beings and to understand their emotional or cerebral journey. I did spend a lot of time with my police friend Daya Nayak for Risk (I ate his brains about everything); the character in D was modelled on my own school days, when I too was anti-establishment. And, the portrayal of ACP Agnel Wilson in OUATIM was a figment of my imagination combined with my interactions with Special IG Param Bir Singh. My friends Vishram Sawant, who directed D and Risk, and Daya Nayak, are very well-versed and knowledgeable when it comes to these characters specifically. Our dearly departed crime journalist, J Dey's work has also been a great contributing factor to providing detailed insights about this beast of a machinery called the underworld.

On 70mm
I love mafia films like The Godfather (which is actually a family drama), Goodfellas, Once Upon A Time In America, Scarface, Carlito's Way, Pulp Fiction, American Gangster and Mean Streets. They are cool films and offer great emotional insights.