Bollywood’s favourite villain, Gulshan Grover doesn’t look the bad man he has portrayed in so many movies, leave alone behave like one. Affable and charming, the actor is in town to shoot for a film ‘Spice Shop’, being shot by a Surrey based producer and director Paul Dhillon.

The ‘Bad Man’ dwelt at length as to why he decided to do this movie. A versatile actor, Gulshan has acted not only in almost 300 Indian movies but also with Hollywood producers. He has also acted in German, Italian, French and English films. While negative roles are his favourite, yet he has played a number of positive and comedy roles with aplomb. Children remember him as the ‘panther’ of ‘ek aur ek gyara’, while his other roles too are memorable. Known for giving a fresh look to his character in every film through bizarre make up, voice modulation and body language, Gulshan is one villain in Indian films everyone loves to hate.

Last year, he also revealed his soft spot for animals by launching two hard-hitting advertisements on behalf of PETA India (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). He loves Vancouver but despite being in Vancouver for almost two weeks, his shooting schedule has kept him so busy that he regrets the fact that he would be going back without really enjoying the place. Feeling homely amongst Indo-Canadians, Gulshan is playing the mild character of a Sikh who tries to make an honest living in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in his forthcoming venture. I caught up with him while he was shooting at the Senior Centre of the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple on Scott Road in Surrey.

What made you decide to do the movie – Spice Shop?

It was the story that attracted me. The script of the film is so powerful that the moment I read it, I felt that I could relate to it since I come from a family that has 80% Sikhs. I have also heard and seen stories as to what happened to Sikhs after 9/11 in America. I was also impressed by the revolutionary thought of a Sikh falling in love with a Muslim girl and how the seniors in the community react to this ‘baiji’s ( elder brother) love for her. They object to a Sikh being in love with a Muslim girl, and his claim that if this is how they think on the issue, then why are they blaming the whites if they treat them differently? It means that if you want the others to have a broader perspective, a progressive point of view then you as a community too need to have one that reflects that.

Then there is the character of a Russian hooker and what she is going through mainly because she is from a different race. There’s an interesting character of a young black boy, an Italian guy Pablo and how their lives were touched by the events of 9/11.

Don’t you think we have had an overdose of 9/11 films?

Yes, but this one is different. Most of the 9/11 films today talk about miseries, whereas this movie is talking about people who are trying to put everything behind them and move on.

How do you like being in Vancouver?

I love being here, especially Surrey. It looks like I am in India, as I see people, who are my people but in cleaner surroundings, rather it is beautiful, exotic, clean India. When I see a Gurdwara or if I see a senior’s center, or the names of shops written in Punjabi I don’t feel like I am in a foreign country.  But when I look at the beautiful greens I know I am not in India, it is somewhere outside.

I am sure you would have seen more of Punjabi in Vancouver than in Indian cities like Mumbai or New Delhi.

Definitely, it reminds me of a particular part of India. The feel itself is so Indian.

What difference do you find between working in Canada, Hollywood or Mumbai for that matter?

It is the same difference, which is primarily between India and the west. In India, we work for a few days in a particular film and take off and do another film. Indian films are longer too as they have songs and dance and what not. This film too has a song but it is a background song. Over here it is far more systematic, normally and the film is shot at a stretch. But the main difference is that Indians are capable of multitasking. For example, while I get my turban tied, I can talk to someone else as well as make a gesture for a cup of tea or even learn my lines. Over here people will do only what they are asked to. For example, if you go to a restaurant or the airport, if the waiter is talking to one customer he will say ‘I am talking to this customer, so wait’. In India you can answer, you can multitask, you can do five things at one time. Here people are too stickler for rules. They cannot multitask.

Isn’t it better here as then you can finish a movie in a matter of few days and then you are free to do another one?

In some ways it is better while in other ways it is bad. Like I am working long hours, I have not been able to sleep, not been able to eat properly or even enjoy Vancouver.

Was becoming an actor your ambition or it just happened?

All my life- from the moment I have been aware - I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be an actor out of choice.

What character gives you more satisfaction- a bad guy or a good one or a comedian?

See, my brand is of a bad man. I started my career as a villain-rather I chose to be a villain. I enjoy those parts, which are difficult to do. But because I am a versatile actor and because I am capable of doing other parts, I would like to keep doing them. But I also don’t want to do only positive roles that do not work for me either.

Why?

I find them boring. Good guys are boring.

But you are good as a comedian as well.

Yeah. But I don’t want to stick to being a good guy.

How has your family reacted to your doing good or bad roles? Do they have any preferences?

No. They know that the man they know is different from what they see on the screen.

Any role model?

No role models. Today the thing like role models doesn’t exist. In this world, there are no role models. No one is perfect and if someone is a good actor, he may not be a good person. If one person is good in one movie, you will find in the next movie, he may be just average. I don’t believe in role models. It is a myth that was carried on for 15-20 years when information was not available. But today when you have so much information available, role models cannot exist.

Which was your most satisfying character?

You never get satisfaction in my kind of job. If you get satisfaction, then that is the day you go down. Then you become complacent, you don’t strive to be the best. To me, these look like small milestones, and you go over them and move forward.

Are you going to leave a few days for yourself to go around in Vancouver before you head back to India?

No! Not even an hour. While going to locations around the city, people tell me what that is or what place that is. That is all about Vancouver I will know unfortunately.

But you are not doing justice to Vancouver.

I know. But the work pressure is too much, I cannot afford to.