Actor Saurabh Sachdeva, who portrayed Bobby Deol’s brother in Animal, recently shared insights about his experience working on ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. In an interview with India Today Digital, Sachdeva reflected on how these films have contributed to his growing popularity. He credited his roles in ‘Animal’ and ‘Pushpa 2’ for boosting his visibility and expanding his career in the film industry.
He opened up about Pushpa 2’s box office run, “There is a feeling of respect and power. I am humbled and grateful. You never decide that these films are going to be so big—maybe the producer and director have some vision—but we, as actors, didn’t have that vision. I knew it would be big, but I had not imagined it would be this big. Maybe I’m too young for this kind of business that I don’t understand it.”
He further admitted that the things changed for him after ‘Animal’, stating, “I am the same. I go to work every day, teach, and do my regular stuff. But definitely, a lot of people are coming around and want selfies with me. Even auto drivers’ behaviour towards me has changed — they see me and say hello!”
“This change happened after Animal and now, after Pushpa 2. In between, Bad Cop released and even that gave me good recognition. It feels like whatever project I am doing is becoming successful. Maybe, I am the good luck, he added.”
Saurabh also mentioned that even before ‘Animal’, ‘Jaane Jaan’, and ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’, people recognized his work and appreciated his performances.
“But Animal definitely changed a lot of things for me. It was also because of Animal that I got Pushpa 2,” the actor said.
The actor shared that the makers of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ noticed his performance in ‘Animal’ and decided to cast him in the film. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity, “The makers of Pushpa 2 saw me in Animal and then approached me. I had a video meeting with the team, the writer, and
Sukumar sir (director), and we discussed my character for 20 minutes. They had approached many people before me but finalised me.”
“Soon after, I was in Hyderabad trying costumes. Sukumar sir is a humble, down-to-earth man, and was very happy with my performance on set. Initially, I was a little sceptical because they wanted me to speak in Telugu. I tried to learn the language in one day, but it was difficult. Sukumar sir then said, ‘You do it in Hindi,’ and he was very happy. When everyone is happy, you feel like you’ve done your job,” Sachdeva recalled his moments on Pushpa 2 sets.
Saurabh Sachdeva shared his thoughts on the cultural depth of South Indian films and their global influence. He noted that these films are more connected to their roots, while Hindi cinema could also benefit from being more culturally grounded. He emphasized that there is room for films rooted in tradition to achieve global success, alongside diverse genres like comedy and thriller.
Further, he also praised his Pushpa 2 co-stars, Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil. He mentioned that working with Fahadh was a great experience, noting his openness and friendly nature. He also described Fahadh as having a youthful energy, making their time on screen enjoyable.
About Allu Arjun, he shared, “When I first met him, I was fascinated by his vanity van—it looked beautiful from the outside. He was very sweet and showed me his vanity upon my request. There was no air about him being a superstar. He was very respectful towards me. He had watched Animal and told me that after watching the film, he kept thinking about it for many days. He also added that my performance in Animal was powerful, which made me very happy.”
Reflecting on his experience working on the film, Sachdeva mentioned that the entire team was a pleasure to work with. He admired how relaxed everyone was, even while working on such a big project, and he couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to stay so calm throughout the process.
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