27th February, Mumbai: Ram Gopal Varma’s film ‘ The Attacks of 26/11’, based on the incident of terrorist attack on Mumbai, was a very popular cinema. where Nana Patekar’s performance was praised and Sanjeev Jaiswal who played the role of terrorist Kasab, was also successful in impressing the audience. But the dilemma with this versatile actor is that producers and directors only offer him the character of a dreaded terrorist and he doesn’t want to confine himself to just one image. Sanjeev Jaiswal had to refuse to accept the role of terrorist several times.
Explaining the reason for this refusal, Sanjeev Jaiswal says, “I had played the role of terrorist Kasab in Ramgopal Verma’s film, I had to prepare more mentally than physically to play that character, it took me months to get out of that character.” Now I don’t want to play the role of a terrorist again and go through the same mental state from which it took me a long time to get out. This is the reason why now when an offer comes to me to play the role of a terrorist, I say no. I got many more calls to play a character like Kasab, which I declined.
He says that he is ready to play a villain but not a terrorist. Sanjeev Jaiswal reminisces about acting with veteran actor Nana Patekar, “Sharing the screen with Nana ji was a great achievement in itself. My first scene with Nana Patekar in that film was an interrogation scene. It was a four to five page script, I had to speak, he only had a reaction. Many people told me about Nana Patekar that he is a very angry actor. I was very scared and nervous that if I could not deliver such a long dialogue properly, Nana would pull me up. But in the second take, that scene was okay. Later he met me and encouraged me. I shot with him for 5-6 days and there was no problem.”
How was the experience of working with a seasoned director like Ram Gopal Varma, Sanjeev Jaiswal told that during the making of the film Attack of 26/11, I kept in touch with Ram Gopal Varma for almost a year. Ramu ji is a genius director, he is always thinking Something or the other about the story, character, next scene goes on in his mind. He does not talk much but whatever he speaks, he says from the heart. He knows very well how to get work out of actors.”
In 2019, one of his films Devaki was released in South. It’s Hindi remake is going to be made soon in which he can play negative role. One of his hindi film “Court Kachahari” is coming in April in which he is hero which also has Rajesh Sharma and Brijendra Kala and Prakash Jha’s associate director Rajneesh ji has directed this film.
Sanjeev says “It’s an absolutely positive role. I claim that when the public will come out from the theater after watching this film, they will get emotionally attached to my character and will remember that character for many days. People hated my character after playing Kasab in Attack of 26/11, they still hate me. But now it seems that the hatred towards me will end with this new film. I will also be seen romancing the heroine in this film.”
