Star in the making

Only three films old, yet Tiger Shroff seems to have made a distinct mark in the industry. With his consequent films after debuting in Heropanti, the 27-year-old has managed to woo the audience with his dance and martial art skills. His upcoming film, Munna Michael marks his third collaboration with Sabbir Khan after Heropanti and Baghi. In a tête-a-tête, Tiger opens up about his stardom, the influence his father Jackie has on him and his young fans.

Do you consider yourself a star?
I consider myself somebody who has definitely made an impact, but I don’t want to call myself a star yet. I think I am too young for it. I want to give a Rs 100 crore film, only then will I call myself a star. However, I am quite confident about Munna Michael and I hope to be a star after this film.

With social media being so active, do you feel there is too much pressure on stars?
There is no pressure, it’s something I enjoy doing, it’s something I always wanted to do — it’s part and parcel. Social media is a great platform to reach out to your fans. You only get trolled when you get noticed.

Do you feel makers approach artistes differently? Do you think stars are approached for certain kind of scripts and actors are approached with different scripts?
I am not sure because I am still very young. I look at Salman as a huge star but he also gets roles like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, SRK gets films like Fan, both big performance-based films. Aamir gets Dhoom, which is a combination of both. It depends from artiste to artiste, and if the director sees the artistes fit for the character, you get the roles.

When we talk about your father’s films, we don’t remember how much his films have collected. We only know the impact that the film had. But these days, it’s all about the number game. What are your thoughts on this?
This is what it is. It’s interesting and important. We need some sort of measurement for success right? These numbers tell us that. It’s also great because it tells us our film has collected this much, and our market is growing and we are getting exposure. Earlier, we used to go crazy with `100 crore, now it’s Rs 300 crore and Rs 500 crore. So it’s raising the bar for us.

Do you crumble under pressure?
I thrive under pressure and I perform my best.

Who is your biggest critic?
My sister is very blunt and honest, nobody has been that honest with me. She tells me on my face what’s right and what’s wrong.

Was it difficult to work with a new comer like Nidhi in Munna Michael?
It was nice as I understand where she is coming from. Even I was in her position two years ago; so I sort of told her about my experiences and made her feel comfortable. I was always there to support her. It’s not very easy because the level of dances we perform are quite advanced, and it takes a toll on our body, so we rehearsed a lot and finished it in two to three takes.

People compared you to your father when you made your debut, today when you have your own identity, how does it feel?
Initially, it was difficult but it was a conscious decision to walk my own path and be my own person. I think, I have been quite successful doing that. I am aware that there is no comparison. The first time I ever danced in a reality show, Farah Khan told me in amusement that I couldn’t be Jackie’s son. That I didn’t come across like that.

Your father is the epitome of masculinity how do you look up to him as an actor and father?
Yes, he is the epitome of masculinity and as a father he is great. I still remember during my childhood, he protected me so sincerely. I believe it’s because of him that I have turned out to be so focused and I want to give him a lovely life in return.

There have been reports that you recommended Disha Patani’s name for Baaghi 2?
That’s something that I feel is totally ridiculous because I don’t think I am in that position yet to recommend names as I am still recommending people to take me. But, no, I am nobody to recommend, especially with people like Sajid Nadiadwala. I stay away from all these things.

You have a lot of kids as fans. Do you want to do more films keeping them in mind?
Ideally yes, whatever little I have achieved is because of the children, so my first audience will be the youth and children. I will make sure I keep making films for them.