Abhay Verma: I became a bigger fan of AR Rahman as a person after meeting him at poster launch of ‘Safed’ | Hindi Movie News

Actor Abhay Verma, who garnered fame with his character in ‘The Family Man 2’, is currently on cloud nine. The actor is all set to make his debut in films with Sandeep Ssingh’s debut directorial, ‘Safed’. ETimes caught up with the young star for an exclusive interview where he spilled the beans on film, its poster launch by AR Rahman at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, his bonding with co-star Meera Chopra and more. Excerpts…

The poster of your debut film ‘Safed’ was recently launched at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. How does it feel?
First of all, thank you for mentioning that it is the poster of my ‘debut film’ that has been launched at the 75th Cannes film festival. I believe an actor lives to hear such things in life. In all honesty, this statement summarizes three stages of my life. First and foremost, for me, words like ‘debut’ and ‘introducing’ mean a lot more than what they actually mean. Being able to get an opportunity like this for a 23-year-old young actor coming from a small town Panipat is no less than a dream come true. Secondly, the imaginary feeling of it being launched at the auspicious 75th Cannes Film Festival makes the dream the sweetest and memorable one. Thirdly, the spellbound feeling I am finding myself in these days is something I have always wanted to experience and I hope the day comes soon when I am not as surprised and amazed to be able to put words together and describe what it actually feels like to be a part of everything that’s happening at this moment.

The film has already received approval and appreciation of the legendary AR Rahman…
The world has been grooving to his tunes for almost three decades now. He is a legendary artist who has been setting examples for everyone with his work. ‘Tu koi aur hai, teri na haddein’ has been a forever support whenever life has tested me. Even though it was the first time I had met him at the poster launch, I felt like he has been living with me since my childhood days. If I may say so, I became a slightly bigger fan of how Rahman sahab is as a person than the artist Rahman sahab whom I have been listening to all my life. I couldn’t believe that the poster which he held in his hands with a smile on his face featured me. I shall be forever indebted to him for it. He’s definitely one of a kind.

The first look posters have indeed piqued the curiosity of the audience. Tell us something about the movie and how did you come on board for it?
I am glad that the surprise was welcomed with open hands by everyone. Well, ‘Safed’ is a love story, definitely an unimaginable one which talks about love between not just two people but two verticals of the world which needs to be handled with the same respect and affection as others. I feel now to say that love in today’s time has been limited to physicality whereas I believe it starts when we think above the physical dimensions and reside in the heart of our beloved ones. ‘Safed’ is here to underline the meaning of true selfless love through the eyes of my director Sandeep Ssingh whom I am happy to share my debut with.

From being reluctant to meet the director to ending up being a part of ‘Safed’, it has been an interesting journey for me journey a journey of being able not just to play but become my character, ‘Chaandi’.

Tell us something about your character ‘Chaandi’ …
Often the simplest people we come across in life are the ones who are most complex within. One such person is Chaandi. As the name reflects, my character has a heart as clear as the moon with blemishes offered by society. She is that one kind-hearted person whom you’d want to have in your life and getting to live it was a pleasure on her own for me. I am glad that I could spend the longest time with her within myself starting from the script sessions till the dubbing period. The characters like these are quite challenging. However, I like to take this responsibility with my head held high as cinema is not consumed merely as a form of entertainment, rather how you can change people’s thinking and their lives. So I make sure that I hit the ball out of the park when given a chance like these. Nevertheless, Chaandi has my heart and I have hers.

How is Meera Chopra as a co-star? Did you bond well on the set?
Films like such need time to prepare because it requires an ultimate transformation for one to get hold of the character. So Kaali (Meera’s character) and I were fortunate enough to spend an ample amount of time before we had started shooting which allowed us to gel very well with each other to the point where we could be suggestive to each other in terms of characters and life as well. She is that type of a kind hearted person whose everything comes out of sheer honesty; be it acting or off set. I think the world is black and white for her as it should be and my favorite thing to do will always be to annoy her.