MUMBAI: Every actor in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya – The Royal Guard has done his own stunts.
According to sources, even Amitabh Bachchan, who plays the title role, insisted on doing a risky scarf burning scene, even though Chopra suggested using a stunt double.
During an action sequence, Bachchan ended up nearly getting stamped upon by a camel, say sources. “Action scenes in manufactured sequences and sometimes, the balance, the timing can go wrong. The camel decided to kick me in the head. These things happen… actually, I should thank Vinod for giving me the costume, because the turban saved me,” says Bachchan.
Another member of the cast, Jackie Shroff almost missed being hit by a moving train while doing his action sequence and Boman Irani ended up getting nearly hit by a bullet. “Tinu Verma (the action director) decided to fire a live bullet into the back screen. He was sitting with a gun, and told me to act like I was scared. But I was already so scared that my performance came naturally. But when Verma shot the bullet and it went past my ear and hit the back screen of the old vintage car, it hit a metal frame and I dread to think what would have happened if it had hit the frame, rebound and hit my ears!” laughs Irani.
Eklavya – The Royal Guard, is slated for release on 16 February 2007. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jackie Shroff, Boman Irani, Jimmy Sheirgill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore.
