Abhishek Banerjee opens up on his twin releases Stree 2 and Vedaa clashing at box office: 'It's a win-win situation'

Actor Abhishek Banerjee says it is a "win-win" situation for him that two of his most important films -- Stree 2 and Vedaa -- are releasing on August 15 as they both feature him in different avatars.

In Stree 2, Banerjee is reprising the role of Jana, a simpleton who is studying to become a civil servant, in the sequel to the 2018 Amar Kaushik-directed horror comedy, which was hailed for its feminist overtones. Nikkhil Advani's Vedaa, starring John Abraham and Sharvari, features the casting director-actor in the role of an upper caste villain.

"Honestly, an actor should never worry about the business, it's the producer's space. For me, it's a win-win situation because I get to show two sides of me to the entire country. August 15 is a big day. With Stree 2, fans can expect a bigger, better version of everything, it is like an epic saga.

"Vedaa is a much needed film in India. We can't just be making entertainment films. I enjoy my characters more when they are woven in the socio-political context. I don't know how well I will do with just slapstick comedy. But comedy with purpose and a villain with a responsibility, I think I will try to do more such characters," the actor told PTI in an interview.

In future, Banerjee wants to work with directors like Anurag Kashyap, Shoojit Sircar, Hansal Mehta, Abhishek Chaubey, Anubhav Sinha, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga. "I will keep approaching them and they will have to cast me someday. I am taking their names because I want to be a part of their cinema... It is not like they are not kind to me. Anurag sir has been the most kind, they all have been.

"I want to work with them because I want to learn from them. I really chased Nikkhil Advani for Vedaa. He doesn't remember it but I do. He must have fought to cast me as the villain opposite John Abraham. He also must have fought the notion that an actor like Abhishek Banerjee can stand opposite John Abraham. I remember the character was an older guy and I told him why don't you make him younger and he did that." According to the actor, Animal director Vanga is a man who has a different wavelength.

"He definitely has a different vibration. Good, bad, I am no judge. As a performer, rules change because it is important to get into different wavelengths and minds," he said.

With inputs from PTI

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