You seem to be extremely busy promoting your film.

(Laughs) Yes, I have hardly slept in the last few days, as I have constantly travelling. It’s another few days and the film will release so we need to do all the necessary things to promote the film. I don’t mind doing that.

Badlapur is completely different from the last two films you did, which were romcoms.

Yes, it’s completely a different kind of film, something that I haven’t done earlier and is a new experience for me. So far I have done three films, which had romance as an important element. This film falls more in the noir genre and I had to take this risk because this was my chance to do something different. In fact I had signed this film just after Student of the Year but it got delayed and I shot for it last year. It is a very hard-hitting story based on true incidents and I am sure the audience will like it. These are the kinds films people love watching these days, so I felt that this would be a good film to do.

Was it a difficult playing this role?

It was definitely one of the most difficult roles I have ever played. It required a lot of research but with a director like Shriram Raghavan at the helm of things, it became easy. This is a small film… I mean it’s not a very big budget film but the script is very powerful and it was a very difficult role to portray. I was required to look angry and cry a lot for which I had to really live the life of the character. I am otherwise a very happy person but this role required me to change myself a lot and a lot of effort went into it. Sriram Raghavan briefed me everything and I tried to pull it off to the best of my abilities?

So, is this film going to see you in a completely new avatar?

Of course, as I said I haven’t done something like this earlier. I sport a very rugged look and don’t smile much. So long the audiences have seen me more as a happy-go-lucky guy who is a prankster and a diehard romantic. This role is nowhere close to that and will certainly help change my image.

Given that you were accepted as the boy next door, isn’t this a big risk at this point of time in your career?

I had to take this risk and I am happy to have taken this decision. Today, every actor wants to experiment and do something new. Everyone asked me not to do this film, including my father but I listened to my heart as I liked the script and wanted to be part of this project. There is no set formula to success. No one wants to get typecast. I too wanted to do something new and different. I am sure Badlapur will be liked by all. We all have given our best. It’s an edge-of-the-seat thriller, something that the audience enjoys these days.

When you did Main Tera Hero, which was directed by your father David Dhawan, everyone said that you have replaced Salman Khan in your father’s film?

(Laughs) I think that is too big a complement. My father and I share a very good rapport with Salman Khan but I don’t think he can ever be replaced. He is a good soul and is always ready to help. I feel lucky to have known him from close quarters. He is a great mentor and motivator.

How was it working with Sriram Raghavan?

He is one of the most intelligent and stylised filmmakers today. He gave Saif Ali Khan a whole new image in his first film Ek Haseena Thi. Till then Saif Ali Khan too had a chocolate-boy image. He has done the same with me and I really liked the way he has treated the entire film. He is one of the best in the trade today, who is a master at making thrillers and noir films.

So, will you keep experimenting with next projects too?

I think that is what every actor wants to do and is doing these days. I am in no hurry to go on a film-signing spree. I want to take my time and do films that I can do justice with. There are a number of good actors today who are intelligently choosing films and doing some good cinema. I too am trying my best and I am happy with the kind of films I am doing. I am extremely fortunate to have made my debut under the Yash Raj banner and have worked with a few other directors who I have always admired. I hope I will be able to keep the faith intact that the filmmakers have shown in me.