With so many musicians opting for the silver screen, one expects better projects and of course, some great films. The latest addition in the list is that of Rup (Rupinder Magon) of Josh, who stars in Speedy Singhs, a film directed by Rob Lieberman.
Images on Sunday caught up with the musician-actor in Mumbai where he had gone for the official film release last week. He talked about the film, his experiences and much more.
“My friend Manny Brar from Desiwear told me about the project. He then contacted the production team and set up a meeting.
I had an idea of what the film was about and was interested in auditioning for it. Rob Lieberman, the director, and AJ Virmani, one of the producers both enjoyed my audition and the rest is history,” said Rup adding that, “I play Jassi Singh, and my character has a comedic yet responsible image on the ice-hockey team.”
Rup considered his role to be challenging. “First, I had to literally learn how to ice skate for this role which was very difficult,” he related, “the ice rink was cold and not very forgiving every time I fell! After some bruised knees and elbows and four weeks of training, I was flying on the ice!”
“Secondly, it was challenging because my debut role was with some amazing veteran actors,” he added, “like Anupam ji, Akshay Kumar and Rob Lowe have been in the business for a very long time. They were great coaches and I learned a lot from them.”
Does he think anyone can act? “Absolutely,” he responded, “however, it’s not as easy as one may think. I have a newfound respect for actors who make hundreds of films and play different characters. Acting requires a lot of introspection and confidence. It is not for the weak hearted.”
Rup related that he had wanted to act for a long time. “I never seriously pursued an acting career,” he said, “this opportunity was a ‘right time at the right place’ kind of situation for me.”
On memorable moments he says that “Rob Lowe and I were doing some off-script improvisations. At first, I was nervous whether or not he liked what I did. Later on I found out that he loved it. It’s something I’ll never forget!”
What kind of music does Speedy Singhs has to offer? “There is a variety of music from artistes hailig from India, UK, and Canada,” he responded, “JoSH’s track Chaddi Wale Yaar is playing everywhere and is truly picking up fast.”
In conclusion he says, “The film is about following your dream. I’d like to say that I’m an example of someone who followed all his dreams and is living them everyday. In a nutshell, anything is possible.”