Dulquer Salmaan says he was ‘pushed around’ on Bollywood sets, 'I wouldn’t find a chair to sit on'

Dulquer Salmaan, who has worked seamlessly across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi cinema, has revealed that his early years in Bollywood were far from smooth. The actor, who made his Hindi debut with Karwaan in 2018, opened up during a recent roundtable about the uncomfortable experiences he faced on Hindi film sets.

Recalling his initial struggles, Dulquer told The Hollywood Reporter India, “When I did Hindi films here, my two people that I would come with, we would just get pushed around on sets. I had to create this illusion of being this big star, otherwise I wouldn’t find a chair to sit on.”

“If you come in a fancy car with a lot of people, then you’re a star”

He further explained how perception dictated treatment.

“I wouldn’t find a place to see behind the monitor, there were so many people. So, it’s all about perception. Apparently, if you come in some fancy car with a lot of people, then the perception is that he is a star. It’s sad, that’s not the way my energy should go, right?” he said.

“Maybe the size of the Hindi industry influences things”

Dulquer also reflected on whether the sheer scale of Bollywood could be driving such behaviour.

“I just couldn’t understand. I don’t want to be mean to any industry, but I guess it’s a cultural thing. Me and Rana (Daggubati) were discussing that the size of the Hindi industry is so massive – the number of theatres, markets, and so many states speak the language and watch those films. We have just 1–2 states and we think like we are the big deal. Maybe, the size of the industry influences things,” he shared.

What’s next for Dulquer

On the work front, Dulquer Salmaan was last seen in the Tamil period drama Kaantha, which is gearing up for release on December 12. The actor will next headline the Malayalam film I’m Game.

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