Actor and martial artist, Vidyut
Jammwal (born 10 December 1980) works in Bollywood and South films. He is a
trained martial artist since the age of three - specializing in Kalaripayattu -
the mother of all martial art forms.
Jammwal made his acting debut in the 2011 with Hindi
film Force (a remake of the Tamil film Kaakha Kaakha, alongside John
Abraham and Genelia Deshmukh). His performance earned him the Filmfare and IIFA Award for Best Male Debut.
Subsequently he was part of Telugu films like Shakti and Oosaravelli, both
starring NTR. In 2012, Jammwal made his debut in Tamil
cinema with Billa II, alongside the legendAjith.
His next Tamil outing Thuppakki, alongside
superstar Vijay became a blockbuster. In 2013, he was seen in Vipul Shah's
action film Commando in a lead role. Although the film received a mixed
critical reception, Jammwal gained appreciation for his portrayal of a commando
in the Indian army, with noted critic Taran Adarsh mentioning that "COMMANDO clearly belongs to Vidyut and the
liberty of watching him crushing everything and everyone in sight leaves you
tongue-tied. He choreographed, designed and executed all the action and stunt
sequences that were completely death defying and never before seen stunts without
cables or body doubles on Indian screens proving that he truly is India's Next
Gen action hero.
Description
Date of Birth - Dec 10, 1980
Place of Birth - Kanpur
Height - 5 ft 11 inches
Awards
Best Debut (Male) for
"Force" - Filmfare Awards (2012)
Best Debut (Male) for "Force" - IIFA Awards (2012)
Best Actor in a Negative Role for "Thuppaki" - SIIMA Awards (2013)
‘Umeed Ka Naya Chehra’ for "Commando" - Zee Cine Awards (2014
How did your film journey begin?
I think my martial arts got me into the business. It made me realize that
martial arts needed to have a greater showcase platform for its power to be
shared with the world. That's when I came to Mumbai. I'd heard of casting for
Nishikant Kamath's Force - remake of Kaakha Kaakha and I went in to audition
and that's the start of my journey.
Tell us something about your family
I'm one of three children born in to a family from an army background. Owing
to consistent changes in my dad's posting, we traveled and lived all over the
country. It was very early in life that we learned about the enrichment via
varied cultural experiences. That was what sowed the seeds of martial arts in
me as well
How did Anjaan happen?
I was in Dubai for the SIIMA awards where I won the award for Best Villain
for Thuppakki. That's where I met Lingusamy who told me that he thought I could
do more and that he'd like to work together. I thought he was being polite but
I got a call two weeks later inviting me for an audition for a part. It wasn't
for a negative but a parallel lead character. I'm so glad it all worked out so
well and I got a chance to work with a genius like him.
Murugadoss in one of his interviews had stated
that he was very impressed with your discipline and drive to do roles. Did you
impress Lingusamy in any such ways for Anjaan?
I'm so glad that Murugadoss sir said such nice things. I think it’s my base
in martial arts and my army upbringing that gives me this sense of discipline
and drive. That's something I live by. What Lingusamy sir thought is something
only he can say. All I can say is that it was just fantastic to have worked
with him and to have been a part of his genius cinematic experience.
How was Lingusamy to work with?
I have said this before and glad to say it again, he's undoubtedly one of
the most brilliant directors of our time. His understanding of the film
landscape and the nuances of each performance make him such a master. As an
actor, you feel guided so amazingly that it feels almost effortless doing a
scene. Above and beyond, he's a lovely human being and that's what I adore most
about him.
Lingusamy is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant directors of our time
Can you elaborate on your role and working in
Anjaan?
I can't reveal much about Anjaan as yet but I can
definitely tell you that I'm not the villain. Suriya and my character are
partners in crime, brothers in arms. It’s a role I haven't done before and I'm
really excited about it.
I've never been someone who's followed norm and
I've had destiny lead my journey. So I'm sure every aspect of that journey is
only for the greater purpose and good.
Suriya and I are partners in crime
Do you feel fortunate to have worked with
three of the biggest Superstars of Tamil - Ajith, Vijay and Suriya, or do you
look at them as another important set of roles that were offered to you?
Well to be honest I think working with great talents always helps you learn
and evolve. It has been a blessing working with them and also with my super
directors. And yes, my roles in the films have also been etched out really well
ensuring my ability to make an impact.
Can you share your experience working with
Ajith, Vijay and Suriya
All three have been great to work with. Ajith was
my first co-star from the three which makes him and my relationship with him
special. Working with him was a lot of fun and was a great learning experience.
He's certainly one of the most charming men I've met.
Vijay, for most, may seem shy but he's one of the
most comfortable people in their own skin. In addition to being a super dancer,
on screen, he's extremely spontaneous, which may almost seem dichotomous to
others who don't know him.
I've had a good time working with Suriya. Most
part of our chats is pertaining to fitness and exchanging workout tips. He
also possesses intensity in his performance along with a
rare quality of emoting with his eyes.
Vijay is extremely spontaneous
How do you manage Tamil? Have you picked up
the language?
I have been working on it and have been picking it up. I've been exposed to
a fair bit of the language and I'm looking forward to getting better with it
for my future projects.
Till now, it’s only been anti-hero roles. When
would you play hero’s role? You have got the looks and talent. Have you got any
offers to play a hero’s role?
I have played the anti hero and I have received offers for positive roles
too. I'm hoping to choose what works best. The idea is to do great work
and consistently grow and evolve with every film as a performer. Scripts today
don't bind characters within a clear black Vs white demarcation. The simple
reason for that is - there is a grey element in all of us. So, we don't judge
our on screen personas through that prism anymore. There can be a heroic tale
of a so-called-villain and a heinous, almost villainous story of a
so-called-hero. More so, with the greats like Rajinikanth having started
their journeys as "villains" to becoming the legends they are, need I
say anything more?
There is a grey element in all of us
Why do you think that people in Bollywood in
general, to a larger extent, respect technicians from down south but not
working in south Indian movies?
As I've mentioned before, the south content and techniques are more evolved
and have been worked on extensively thus assuring their success measure.
Whether or not to work in other industries other than Bollywood, I think that's
each one's own decision and the two trends are mutually exclusive.
The south content and techniques are more evolved
Wasn’t the villain’s role in Holiday,
(Thuppakki’s Hindi remake), not offered to you by Murugadoss or did
you opt out of it?
No it wasn't brought to me.
You are playing Bodhi Dharma in Ram Madhvani's
film. Is the film a remake of 7am Arivu? Did
you take some tips from Suriya?
There's no similarity. The only commonality is the iconic character.
Working with Shruti Haasan in Yaara
She's definitely one of the nicest people I've worked with. She does carry
forward the strong legacy of her family in her work, her talent and attitude.
What made you turn vegetarian all of a sudden?
There was never a reason as such. I decided to do it and it worked for me.
I’ve been a vegetarian since the past 12 years and it feels great. It helps the
body and mind operate with a certain amount of agility and lightness ensuring
that your overall health is always at its optimum.
On being adjudged the PETA hottest vegetarian
It does feel great to be regarded on top of the pyramid for a belief that
I've followed for so long.
How did you get involved in Kalaripayattu?
I didn't choose it...It chose me. I started training in Kalaripayattu (one
of the oldest fighting systems that include strikes, kicks, weaponry and
healing methods) when I was three. I lived in an ashram in Kerala till I was
thirteen and during that time I learnt this art from my teachers and gurus. For
me it wasn't out of the ordinary, it was just like learning any other art.
Martial Arts is not my hobby; it was a game in childhood and now it’s my
love
Kalaripayattu chose me
What are the other martial arts you are
proficient in?
Kalaripayattu is the mother of all martial arts forms. All other forms find
their roots in Kalaripayattu. I've separately trained in jiu jitsu, aikedo and
capoeira.
Your tips on people aspiring to have a hot
body
Be regular with your workouts. It's not just
about going to a gym but having a sporting activity attached to your workout.
Best sporting and fitness forms are running and sprinting. Ensure that you
provide your body with the necessary sugars and salts. They are what the body
needs, so don't deny yourself that. And finally, feed the body's nutritional
needs and not the greed in the eyes!
I especially want to suggest a certain routine
for those urban city dwellers who suffer from the woes of a fast paced work
life and which makes them fall into the "I'm too busy - I don't
have time" excuse trap when asked about keeping fit:
Exercise before work or during lunch hour. It's
just about making those 45 - 60 minutes for yourself.
Schedule workouts in a way that they coincide
with your favorite shows or with films you plan on catching on TV. It's a great
way to ensure your mind is occupied and not thinking about the pain and boredom
that it tends to attach to working out.
Get up early two mornings a week and ensure you
make the most of that time being one with your body without any distractions.
Take a hard look at your schedule. To prioritize,
you can cut something that's low on the list and that time can be used for
workouts.
Find alternatives to the unhealthy food you snack
on. Consider light biscuits, khakras, low calorie bhels, maybe even a fruit.
Find a way to make each workout day exciting.
Keep your routine ever changing and try different things to get a sense if what
you enjoy the most.
Whilst leading a sedentary life, ensure you get
up every half an hour and take a walk around the office and come back. It'll
not only help avoid the inertia attached to the constant sitting but will also
serve as a break factor and give you thinking time.
Your regular meals may not have all the
nutrition. Consider meal supplements - select a calcium and vitamin D intake
which may be hard to get through natural foods.
Your fitness schedule
Stretching & kicking, jumping through specially designed and created
obstacle courses, practicing weapon training using swords, sticks of different
sizes with different forms and movement and creating realistic stunts with
various permutations and combinations. A definite part of my training is close
to 20 rounds of a 30 metre rope climb that I ensure I complete in the minimum
possible amount of time. Other key elements also include floor submission and
grappling along with blocks and punches. For me, groundwork routines such as
submission, long holds, throws, stand up work and boxing are very essential to
my training. I believe that the body is like the tree trunk with
branches, stems and leaves, representing how we walk, jump, run and kick -
hence it must be entirely, yet separately nurtured.
Workout map:
In a week, I follow 5 days of martial art training
and 2 days of weight training for an average of 6 - 7 hours a day in 3-4 hour
intervals each.
I start with a 20 minute warm up
Running/ sprinting: 400 meters
3 rounds of 10 pull-ups, 15 push-ups, 20 squats,
50 metres of handstand walks.
I move into the rest of my regimen after
comprising of martial art training - gymnastics, acrobatics, street stunts,
tricking. Weight training includes extensive lower body training, squats,
lunges, and calves along with upper body workout that includes roman rings, parallel
bars and push-ups.
When I move from my weight training days to my
cardio based martial arts training, I usually make my warm up more intense -
Warm Up: 20 - 30 minutes
Run 800 meters
50-lb dumbbell squat and clean lunges-30 reps
each, 2 sets of 30 burpees
Separate focus: lower body workouts
especially – legs and calves with squats and jumps. A lot of people who weight
train tend to focus more of the upper body than the lower not realizing that
the entire body needs to be strengthened for it to operate at its best.
New addition : With the addition of
the anti gravity routines, done using the suspension equipment - rings, trapeze
bars, suspension anchor, door anchors etc to support the exercise forms and
asanas, I end up dedicating a good 40 minutes just to that.
Even though I train every day, I don’t follow a
strict set regimen. I follow what my heart and what my body says and do what I
want to – be it gymnastics, martial arts or weight training. The days I feel
like my body needs rest, I ensure I take that little time out.
What do you like about Tamil films and who are
your favorite actors?
The story and content offered by Tamil films are quite evolved. That's
probably the reason why Hindi films have picked up so many Tamil remakes. The
audiences have also evolved in their storyline sensibilities and that's given
reason for great stories to be made. As far as actors go, MGR, Rajinikanth,
Kamal Haasan are my favorites.
MGR, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan are my favorites
Who are the directors you wish to work with?
AR Murugadoss and Lingusamy again, Prabhudeva, Shankar, SS Rajamouli, and of
course the new talented directors too.
Here is wishing Vidyut Jammwal all
the best for Anjaan and all his future endeavors!
So proud to have read this girl's
tale of bravery, confidence and self belief. Sharing it with all of you....
It was a Saturday afternoon I had lunch with a friend in
Gurgaon before I decided to head home. The metro for those who do not take it
or belong to Delhi can get crowded and air tight to an extent that the
Tupperware guys could take inspiration. I luckily
managed to find a seat till Rajiv Chowk metro station (Connaught Place) where I
had to change my train. The doors opened… Btw I was in a regular and not the
women’s only coach – why is this little detail important for this post? Well
the answer lies ahead.
So where were we? Yes, the doors opened and people
began to flood in. I tried to push and nudge my way out but no luck. With a
huge sigh I decided to get off at the next station - New Delhi. As I positioned
myself close to the exit door I felt a sense of unease run through my body,
like someone has pierced their gaze on me or someone is watching me. Suddenly I
felt something touch me from behind. With half my mind on trying to get off at
the next station I turned thinking it was someone’s bag or hand touching me
repeatedly. I turned to see a man in a white kurta (long shirt) staring right
at me and he had no baggage with him. In fact both his hands were clenching the
railing next to him. But if both his hands were up there what was it that… I
got my answer as soon as I lowered my sight. There beneath that long shirt I
could clearly see that this man was UNZIPPED. I felt the blood rush to my head,
boiling and fuming and fury ran through every nerve in my body.
Within that fraction of a second every single eve
teasing incident, every darn face of those guys who had the guts to molest
someone I know flashed in my mind. Before I knew my voice escaped my lungs and
there I was screaming at the man who dared to mess with me.
‘KYA problem hai?’ (What is your problem?)
‘Kya samjh rakha hai saale?’ (What the hell do you
think?)
‘Himmat kaise huyi teri?’ (How dare you?)
These were some of the things I uttered looking
right into his eyes. He was startled and started blabbering that he is sorry
and insisted that it was his hand that touched me by mistake. Your ‘HAND’ that
comes out from your pants? How the hell was your zip open? I was screaming in a
coach full of men and women. Did anyone come forward to help or even displayed
basic courtesy to ask me what was wrong? The answer was a big unsurprising NO.
I turned and spotted two men in fact smirking at me. Their silence tried my
patience and ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
I held that (namesake) man’s collar and dragged him
out of the train. He was on a loop mode ‘It was my hand, it was a crowded
train’. The moment we set foot at the platform he managed to escape. I ran,
with all the strength and courage in me, I ran after him making as much noise
as I could. A few saw (the tamasha), the others gasped while one man in the
uniform began to chase him. I went towards the other side and we managed to get
hold of him. I yelled again How dare you? How did you dare to touch me? People
like you make Delhi a nightmare for girls? You make us question every time
before we step a foot outside. HOW DARE YOU?
People watched the guards dragging a man to the
control room and a girl screaming at him. They only watched.
As we took him to the control room he told the
police that I am mistaken, it was his hand that touched me by mistake and it
could happen to anyone because it was a crowded train. “Ask her… it was my
hand”, he said. 15 guards, all men turned towards me as he tried to shame me.
But if he had the guts to do it I had the spine to say it. You see anger brings
out the strength you never thought you had in you but in my case anger brought
out a language I never thought I could use. I was outright and I had all the
right to be – “Lift up that kurta and you will know exactly what touched me”.
There. I said it out loud and clear. The guards felt outraged and charged at
him. Within seconds he begged for an apology and suddenly the hand in question
transformed into a part of his body he wished he never had. “Why would this
girl lie? After all she is taking the blame on herself”, said the police
officer to the criminal infront of me. He committed the crime, I raised my
voice and yet somehow the shame was on me. That statement reflected the thought
process of our society, in fact it said much more. I argued with the officer
and told the man in question that I have lost NOTHING in this entire episode
and in fact I will make him pay for this. He immediately begged for an apology
and I instead, insisted to file an FIR. After a few calls, 5 friends of mine
reached the station to back me up and how? They were equally angered and showed
no mercy.
We moved to Kashmere Gate police station and I
slapped a sexual molestation case against him. He was arrested and put behind
bars immediately. I decided to not let this one go and appeared at the court on
Monday to record my statement in front of the magistrate. Meanwhile this man
has been moved to Tihar jail and will spend his time behind the bars until he
gets bail.
You see there are several measures being taken to
make our public spots and transport safe. Someone asked me as to why I did not
take the women’s only coach? But honestly that’s not a solution. These reservations
in fact paint the idea that it is not ok or safe for women to be in public
spaces. It's debatable, I know but are reservations really improving the
situation? Then what would?
I think the answer lies within us. Unless women put
forward that is not OKAY for someone to touch and get away with it, nothing
will change.
I could just bite the bullet and accept that I was
eve teased or molested. Or I can raise my voice and instill the fear in the
criminal instead of victimising myself. If this man has the guts to unzip in a
metro full of people, he probably started off by doing something less offensive
to another girl. Her silence was his encouragement. Remember every time you
choose to ignore or walk away, you put someone else in danger.
So I urge women to respect their body and know that
it’s okay for you to say that someone touched you without your consent and you
have to muster the courage to reach out to the police. I insist please for the
sake of womanhood – SPEAK UP!
By Megha Vishwanath
https://www.facebook.com/AksharaCentre
