Shreyas Talpade opens up on his voice as Pushpa Raj in Hindi version; says, “It’s very rare for a sequel to be better than the original”

December 7, 2024 - 1:06 PM IST

Pushpa 2: The Rule is here, and audiences are raving about Allu Arjun's power-packed performance. If you watched the Hindi version, you’ve likely been impressed by Shreyas Talpade’s voice as Pushpa Raj. The Bollywood star has voiced the protagonist once again, calling it a "nervous" experience.

Shreyas Talpade opens up on his voice as Pushpa Raj in Hindi version; says, “It’s very rare for a sequel to be better than the original”

Speaking exclusively to India Today Digital, Shreyas Talpade shared that given the high expectations, he was initially worried. However, he now feels relieved and is enjoying the love and appreciation from the audience.

Many viewers imagined Shreyas Talpade as Pushpa Raj while watching the Hindi version of the film. When told this, the actor humbly credited director Sukumar and Allu Arjun and said, “It’s all thanks to them. If they hadn't worked the way they did, I wouldn't have been able to justify my part. What you see on screen is so engaging, and that inspired me to give my best shot too. It's very rare for a sequel to be better than the original, and Pushpa is one of those rare examples.”

When asked if he ever imagined himself playing Pushpa Raj in a remake, Shreyas Talpade laughed and said, “Obviously, that's on the wish list for sure. I haven't even done a film like that, and as an actor, you always aspire to do so. If there is an opportunity ever to live that part, I would be more than happy to say yes.”

The Golmaal actor shared that the dubbing director had seen his work in The Lion King (where he voiced Simba) and recommended him to the producers. Although he was surprised when they called him, given his admiration for Allu Arjun's work, Shreyas decided to watch the film. “And I was floored. I really liked what they did. I enjoyed the approach and the whole swag and confidence. Hence, I decided to give it a shot, and I am so glad that they gave me the freedom to dub it the way I wanted, with the voice I felt would suit Pushpa Raj.”

Shreyas Talpade shared that since he has never dubbed for another actor before, he was taken aback by the overwhelming love he received. Interestingly, he has yet to meet Allu Arjun in person. Reflecting on a poignant moment while dubbing for the film, the actor mentioned that it can be challenging to dub certain emotions when you haven’t lived the journey yourself.

He said, “When you are dubbing for any other actor, you pretty much have to get into his skin. There is a sequence in the climax where Pushpa breaks down. I was told it was a small crying sequence, but when I saw the scene, his emotions were so strong. As I watched him enact it, I could see his entire journey in front of me, and I immediately went to record. I did not want to miss the opportunity, miss those emotions.”

While Pushpa has garnered global success, it has also faced criticism for supposedly glorifying toxic masculinity. When asked if he ever questioned the character or his actions while dubbing, Shreyas Talpade responded, “Honestly, I keep my beliefs and the character very separate. As an actor, you have to only believe the director's vision. Not everything they want will be liked by you, and vice versa. But eventually, they are the captain of the ship, and you have to believe their conviction. Even during Pushpa 2, there were a couple of instances where I felt things could have been a little different. But the director was very firm on the way he wanted it, and so, we stuck to that. But more or less, there are certain things that we improvise and discuss them.”

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