Anil George: “I am getting trapped in sporting this beard and long lock looks”
Mirzapur and Uri: The Surgical Strike fame actor Anil George’s long locks and white beard have been his trademark for long at this point. They have been bringing him roles but have also been obstacles for him in getting him more versatile roles.
On his visit to Lucknow, for the shoot of Gadar-2, George says, “It’s a Catch-22 situation for me. Due to continuity of projects, I am getting trapped in sporting this beard and long lock looks. Makers want me in such looks and audience too loves it but I want to experiment! I am all game to give up on my beard to show my different side. Due to this look, I had to forgo an Abbas-Mastan film.”
This look of George has been inspiring him some significant characters to play. “Screen presence can be limited but roles I have been doing are definitely impactful. When makers tell me that yeh role sirf aap hi ke liye hai then it feels great.”
He says, “Whenever I play a terrorist, mafia, ISI chief or anything…Main sab mei jaan dalne ki koshish karta hu…I give my all to be that character. I try getting into the skin of all characters and practice my part so hard that for that time I tend to become that person.”
George has prior done various roles before this current look of his got popular. “I have proved myself by playing an atrangi baddie in Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, mastermind in Mardaani or central character in Miss Lovely. For my shoot of Uri in Serbia, I had to cut my long hair and in the same phase I had to shoot for War. Thankfully, the director agreed and spent a huge sum to get me a same-to-same wig. So, if someone wants to experiment, I am open to it.”
He adds, “After playing such roles and sporting such a look people actually hesitate to come to me at an instance but when they eventually get to interact, they simply love me.”
The versatile actor is busy shooting his third film in Lucknow. “I first shot for Sudhir (Mishra) bhai’s DaasDev in Lucknow and Ayodhya, then Babumoshai… in suburbs and now this is being shot at historic La Martiniere College. This time, my wife tagged along so my bond with this city is becoming super special. I am glad to have made some good friends for life in the city of nawabs.”
