This Independence Day, fans were treated with two patriotic films- Shershaah and Bhuj. Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani starrer ‘Shershaah’ released on Amazon Prime Video on August 12. The next day, Ajay Devgn’s much-awaited ‘Bhuj: The Pride Of India started streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
We recently got in touch with actor Pawan Shankar, who plays the role of Omani in Bhuj. When asked if he was nervous about Bhuj clashing with Shershaah and the audience might divide, Pawan said, “Ajay Devgn Sir has a huge fan following. I am also his big fan, and not only of his acting but his personality as well. Ajay Devgn has kept himself exclusive. Earlier, stars like Dilip Kumar had a crazy fan following and people used to go crazy to get one glimpse of him. But in today’s time, every one of us is presenting ourselves and making ourselves available all the time via social media that there’s no more craze amongst fans now. Amitabh Bachchan’s craze has also died down if we compare it to the 90s. But Ajay Devgn is one such actor who has maintained his exclusivity. He is not very active on social media. And that’s the reason why he is able to play such long innings at a constant rate. We have never seen a downfall in his career. He is one of the most stable and accountable actors. So, he has a huge fan following and there’s a difference in the star cast. Also, it’s a big country and people can definitely watch two films on different platforms.”
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Bhuj: The Pride Of India was earlier scheduled for theatrical release on 14 August 2020. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the release got delayed and was finally released on Disney+Hotstar on 13 August 2021.
When asked if the delay in film’s release bothered him, Pawan who plays the antagonist, said, “It took me a long time to be where I am today. So, I was not bothered if it was taking a year more. I have never got anything easy in my life. There was a time when I used to think that I might not be able to achieve success at all. But I didn’t give up. The success I am getting today should have come my way 10 years ago.”
Watch Full Interview: Pawan Shankar On Playing Antagonist In Bhuj: The Pride Of India