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EXCLUSIVE: Atul Kulkarni on playing Malala’s father in Gul Makai: Certain scripts take you beyond profession
Atul Kulkarni, who is known for his roles in movies like Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, was seen playing a powerful role in Reem Shaikh starrer Gul Makai. Here’s what he has to say about the movie:
Over the years, Indian cinema has witnessed some of the finest actors who have won a million hearts with their stupendous acting skills and versatility. One such actor is Atul Kulkarni who has emerged as an epitome of talent in his career spanning over two decades. He has given us some of the most stunning performances and manages to leave everyone awestruck every time he hits the screen. While he has been a part of several wonderful projects including Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, The Ghazi Attack, Raees, Rang De Basanti, etc., Atul’s 2020 release Gul Makai has been creating a buzz lately.
After all, this biographical drama is set to hit our television screens and will be having its World Television Premiere this weekend. For the uninitiated, Gul Makai happens to be a biopic on girl-education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. While Reem Shaikh essayed the role of Malala on the silver screen, Atul was seen playing the role of Malala’s father Ziauddin Yousafzai. So, as Gul Makai is set to be premiered on & Pictures, Atul Kulkarni, in an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, recalled his journey of playing this powerful role and how this story took him beyond his profession and left him humbled.
Here are the excerpts of the interview:
Tell us something about the movie Gul Makai and your role in it?
It’s about Malala and I am playing her father Ziauddin Yousafzai in the movie. As we all know, this is a great story of recent times and whatever Malala has achieved, her father has a great role to play in that. Because, in that particular part of the world to make your daughter not just go to a school but also run a school for girls to come, I think that itself is a big thing to do despite the threats to life. And then he stood by his daughter. She went through great distress when she was attacked and she had almost died. Then they uprooted themselves from the Swat valley and went to England. I think that is what the story is about. It is about Malala and her family.
What made you say yes for the movie?
Even before the film was offered to me, I was following Malala and her journey. There was a great interview on the BBC about Malala and her father, Malala was quite young at that time when her interview came on the BBC. And then she was writing a blog in a newspaper. So, I had been following her since then. I had been her admirer. That’s why when the script was offered to me, there was only one answer ‘YES!’
Malala's father had a great influence on her... Needless to say... This is indeed a very powerful role... How did you prepare for it?
Ziauddin Sahab has written a book on the entire journey. That being his own words to understand himself as well as the time, Malala and everything. I think that was my main bible. Then they have plenty of interviews, speeches and all. There was a lot of material out there. So that was my main preparation because it came directly from him and Malala.
How was your experience working with Reem Shaikh and Divya Dutta?
Fantastic. All the actors knew the kind of subject we were dealing with was not bigger than what we are as human beings. So, there are certain scripts which humble you, take you beyond your profession because the story which you are telling is far more important than the medium itself. I think all the actors were aware of it and that is how we all approached that film. And because all of us were on the same page, and Amjad Saab our director was also on the same page, so I think that helped us.
It was one of the last movies done by Om Puri. How was the experience working with him?
Unfortunately, we didn’t have any scenes together. Though I have worked with him before, but in this film, we didn’t have any scenes together. But yeah, when a person like Om Saab leaves, it is not a very good feeling.
What is your take on women empowerment in our society, especially in the time when crime against women is rising at an alarming rate?
I think it is a very sad thing that we are even talking about it. The answer is very clear that we have been doing wrong for years together and the correction of whatever we have done wrong is very slow and also very scattered. And I think we should correct all the wrongdoings as soon as possible.
ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Atul Kulkarni on The Raikar Case, Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha & Baahubali prequel
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