Five films and five years later, Tiger Shroff has created a niche for himself in the Hindi film industry. Yet the 29-year-old feels that he has a long way to go—and the only way to achieve more is to “work harder”. With Student of the Year sequel on the anvil, Tiger will be working with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for the first time.
In the film, he will also be seen sharing screen space with Hollywood actor, Will Smith. “I was so excited, I felt that God was on the sets with me. He has an aura about him and yet he is so down to earth. What a wonderful human. Sadly, we barely got time to interact with each other. We shot for a song together and we had to finish the song fast as he had to leave. He took some tips on dancing and how to get his moves right for the song. I have still not got over him as yet,” says the actor.
After the success of Baaghi 2, a lot of things changed for Tiger. “I am getting a lot of respect now from people both in the industry and outside it. But now that I am doing Student of the Year 2, the expectations are more. I am excited and nervous too as this is not only a successful franchise but it has launched three main stars. We have to be more careful now and it’s challenging as we have to take that legacy forward.”
On working with Dharma Productions, Tiger says, “They take care of their artists and give them amazing treatment. I was working with Dharma for the first time but they never let me feel that I was an outsider. We didn’t feel like we were new-comers there. The credit goes to Karan Johar and director Puneet Malhotra. Both Ananya and Tara were well trained that the shoots went on smoothly. We had a friendly atmosphere on the sets.”
Tiger, who is known for his action sequences, will not be showcasing his quintessential moves in Student of the Year 2. Instead, he will be seen playing kabaddi. “This was the first time I played kabaddi for a film. It took time to absorb the game and get the body language right. I had to take workshops, and met real players and took tips from them to create my own style in the game. It was more like college fights, where students bash up each other. I have never been to a college. I immediately started shooting for Heropanti after schooling. Hence, I got to live my college life through the film,” he shares.
A lot of actors are jumping onto the OTT (Over-The-Top) bandwagon but Tiger has no such plans. “It’s a great space and there are a lot of talented actors out there who are getting work in it. But I am passionate about the large screen and I love hero-centric films so I don’t see myself in the smaller space. Maybe I will experiment in the later stages of my career, but right now I am happy with what I am doing,” he clarifies.
The infamous debate on nepotism and bias against star kids is an ongoing discussion in Bollywood. But the grass is not always greener on the other side and Tiger believes that the “expectations always rise as a star son and the pressure is double.” “It’s easier to get film offers but when the lights go off in the theatres [during a film], things are not as easy as they seem. I am blessed that I have people like Sajid Nadiadwala, Saabir Khan backing me. My hard work has paid off,” says the actor.
Talking about the relationship he shares with his father, Jackie Shroff, Tiger says, “We never talk about films; we talk about casual things around us. He gives me a lot of advice and I listen to him. I am still his son and there has been no change in our relationship since I started working. He still pampers me. I am inspired by him and the roles he plays these days. But I cannot compare myself with him. It’s a losing battle for me. He’s too big a personality for me. I cannot match up to him, hence I have always tried to create a different identity for myself.
He grew up in a humble chawl and that background has made him different. I am always motivated by him as he has achieved an unbelievable position for himself and his family. In fact, I got this launch pad because of him. If I was an outsider it would have been difficult for me.”