Having worked on action films in India, actor Vidyut Jammwal, who made his international debut with Street Fighter, reflects on the differences he experienced between Indian and international film sets. While he maintains that Indian cinema also mounts large-scale action sequences and works with some of the best talent, he points to the discipline, punctuality and accountability he observed on the international production. “We (Indians) do shoot large-scale action pieces and we work with the best in the world anyway. So, any movie that you watch in India is action based. You might just know the director who is one of the best in the world. All my movies, we have the best international or Indian directors,” he says.
Asked whether he noticed a difference in how action sequences are shot in India and abroad, Jammwal says the distinction lies in the discipline that governs the work behind the scenes. “On an international film set, the idea of being not on time doesn’t exist,” he says, explaining how professional commitments are taken seriously. “You could be a (rapper) 50 Cent, you will not even know that you can come in late. Everyone values the same.”
Highlighting how each department is expected to take responsibility for its work without interfering in the work of others, the actor says, “Here, every department is supposed to take responsibility of their job. Like, a stylist could not come and tell the artist that your hair is not right or vice versa. Not out of kindness also. Because it’s the job of the hair person too.” He adds, “These small imperceptible details really make them far superior in the way they make cinema. The precision, the legality, this is an experience which was different to what I had experience previously.”
Beyond the work culture, Jammwal says he was also struck by the camaraderie among the men on the international set. “When I say, like a male group, like amazing, nobody’s insecure, nobody’s really trying to know what’s happening in somebody else’s life. If these guys are happily married, then they are only concerned about this. If we had readings amongst ourselves, it was extremely exciting to watch. Nobody’s interested in what the other person’s doing. This was unusual,” he says.