Jitin Gulati calls Prabhas 'collaborative', praises Akshaye Khanna's intensity

Actor Jitin Gulati has two big projects coming up, Mahakali and the Prabhas starrer Fauzi, and he has opened up about what each one asked of him. In a recent interview, the actor, who has worked across cinema and OTT, spoke about what he has learned from working with Prabhas and Akshaye Khanna.

Mahakali, he said, tested his patience like nothing before. He had always thought of himself as a patient actor, but the film kept him in the makeup chair for six to eight hours, and sometimes he needed two more hours to take it all off. He credited the film with giving him a new skill: a huge amount of patience while getting ready for a role.

On working with Akshaye Khanna, Gulati said he did not change his own method, since every actor prepares differently and acting cannot be reduced to a set of steps. What stood out to him was the intensity Khanna brings to his roles. He linked it to a strong sense of truth in Khanna as a person. He described Khanna as a man of real conviction off screen too, which is why audiences believe him. Gulati said it is a lesson he now carries into his own work.

Fauzi is a large-scale film, and Gulati admitted that scale can sometimes push the finer emotions aside. He gave the credit to director Hanu Raghavapudi for keeping every line honest, calling him a reality check for the whole cast. According to the actor, viewers will find plenty of nuance and emotional depth in the film despite its size.

Asked to describe Prabhas in one word, Gulati picked "collaborative". He said the star works well with producers, directors, fellow actors and technicians alike, and is a joy for anyone on the set to work with.

The actor also reportedly spoke about the rapid rise of South Indian cinema. He put it down to technically strong films, good scripts and solid performances, along with OTT platforms that have made audiences comfortable watching good content in any language.