Farhan Akhtar is currently working hard on his next sports drama titled, Toofan. The film will showcase him play a boxer and is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra who directed him in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as well. While Farhan is working hard for the film, fitness expert Darrell Foster who has trained Will Smith has been hired to train the actor. In an exclusive conversation with Darrel, the fitness expert spoke about the things a trainer goes through while training an actor.
Darrell said,
If an actor has to work with me, then he has to leave his or her ego at the door. Everyone on the project is serving the holy grail which is a script and recreating action. I am not going to fool the civilians I am going to impress the experts. I want guy fighters that I have trained for the films to call me and say, ‘Wow dude!” What I have done for Toofan is that I have simply taught him how to fight for real and surround him with the best elite fighters that were available that we could find to come in and mix it up.
Ask Darrell the differences or similarities between working with a Hollywood actor and a Bollywood actor, and he added,
The parallel is the work ethic. I have done movies and I mutually come to a conclusion with the production staff. Farhan treats everybody equally right from the people on the set to the people in the gym. Farhan’s very humble from the position he comes from; the producer of the film, one of the chief executives of Excel Entertainment. In Hollywood people want to fight their own way and that way, you cannot stand in front of me. If that’s the attitude they showcase in front of me, then they might be waking up at home. I live by example, let us just jump in the rain and keep going. Will Smith to believes in the exact same thing.
Question him whether he has learnt something from Akhtar and he immediately said,
I am in the process of always learning. From the production side, he allowed me access to everything the camera lense captured. The production process work here in Bollywood is slightly different and I am embracing it. I am impressed with the program they have in place here. The concept of the film means something to them and that’s the learning.
We are looking forward to this one for sure!