In Bollywood, you’re only as good as your last performance: Tiger Shroff
New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Tiger Shroff makes no bones about saying that his off-screen demeanour is calm and reserved — a far cry from his aggressive self in “Baaghi 2”. The rising actor says failures do impact him as a person because in a “competitive” industry like showbiz, he’s only as good as his last performance.
Tiger, who made his Bollywood debut with “Heropanti”, also has films like “Munna Michael”, “A Flying Jatt” and “Baaghi” to his credit. While some did exceptionally well at the box office, others registered average business.
“When it comes to the success or failure of my movies, I would be lying if I say that it does not impact me at all. It does. In an industry as tough and competitive as Bollywood is, you’re only as good as your last performance. When you’ve put your heart and soul into a movie, you obviously want to see it do well at the box office and be appreciated by the audience.
“I try not to let either success or failure get to me too much, though. I remember what my dad told me once: Any success is momentary, and no failure is insurmountable. What really matters is to keep moving forward and try to do as much good work as you can. This is the mantra that I choose to stick to,” Tiger told IANS in an email interview from Bengaluru.
On the personal front, he says he is very different from Tiger Shroff, the actor.
“Well, for one thing, I am nowhere near as prone to punching and kicking people as I am in my on-screen roles,” he quipped.
“I am very relaxed and chilled-out in real life. I am reserved, calm, and like keeping to myself. Tiger as an actor comes alive in front of the camera; off it, I am just a regular guy who enjoys spending time with his family and friends,” added the son of veteran actor Jackie Shroff and former model and film producer Ayesha Shroff.
Tiger is now gearing up for Ahmed Khan’s directorial “Baaghi 2”, an action-packed entertainer which is slated to release on Friday.
“I enjoyed every aspect of ‘Baaghi 2’ — the filming, the emotions, the action, the way characters just played off each other. There was great energy on the set, and just so much talent. It is also a cinematically exceptional movie, and the way that the action sequences have been captured is simply brilliant.
“I am excited that the audience will now get to see the end-result of all that hard work and effort, and I am confident that ‘Baaghi 2’ will entertain and thrill all those who see it.”
How has the film added to his acting prowess?
“I feel that ‘Baaghi 2’ has more depth to it than its prequel (the 2016 film ‘Baaghi’), which was an out-and-out action romance. My character too is more nuanced. Portraying the pain and the gravitas without overdoing the melancholia was extremely challenging, but I am delighted with how the movie has turned out.
“The final judgment of whether I’ve improved as an actor and a performer, as always, rests with the fans,” he said.
Apart from his on-screen work, Tiger has also diversified into the lifestyle space. His newly launched active lifestyle brand Prowl has partnered with Cure.fit, a health and wellness start-up to co-create an exclusive workout format.
The workout — devised by Cult.fit’s master trainer Shwetambari Shetty and Tiger — will be available for all members of cult.fit, the fitness vertical of Cure.fit.
On fitness, Tiger said: “My dedication towards a fit and active lifestyle stems from the fact that I consider a healthy mind and body to be essential to my overall well-being.
“Being fit isn’t just about bulking up, or doing heavy weights, or undertaking cardio training. For me, it is a way of life. Practising martial arts and dancing have an almost spiritual effect on me. It helps me calm my thoughts and my inner self, gives me a sense of focus and grounding, and allows me to de-stress.”