Dulquer Salmaan urges audience to not kill 'Solo'

Actor Dulquer Salmaan's latest bilingual film Solo has opened to polarised views from audiences and critics alike. In an emotional Facebook post, he has urged the audience to not kill the film and watch it with an open mind.

Solo, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, is an anthology of four stories connected by water, wind, fire and earth.

"I've been meaning to write a note about Solo after watching the film myself and because of my schedule I could only get the time today. I saw it. And it's turned out much better than I could ever imagine it. I loved every second of it," Dulquer wrote in his Facebook post on Sunday night.

He admits the film has issues.

"The issues might be in terms of language, because it is a bilingual and maybe the Shekhar track needed longer screen time. But, I absolutely loved the film. The original version. The version my director, Bejoy Nambiar envisioned. Films like Solo are any actor's dream. I loved it the moment I heard it. I loved every second of shooting it," he said.

Dulquer said he would do films like Solo again because he wants to constantly do "different" films. But he said he doesn't understand why a certain section of the audience don't like different cinema.

"7 billion humans walk the earth. There is bound to be that many stories. That many issues, that many conflicts or differences. If you are not familiar with it, doesn't make it go away. If you are not aware of it, doesn't make it wrong. Cause if you do, you just run the risk of being ignorant. Or judgmental. Or both. We are only human. So why judge," he asked.

He is upset with the flak the story of Rudra, one of the characters he played in the film, has been receiving from audiences.

"The Rudra story in Solo, it breaks my heart. It excited all of us actors. Be it Nasser sir, Hasini ma'am, Neha (Sharma) or me, we were kicked that it was so unique and bold. It's based on true incidents and there have been several news stories like it. We wanted to make a film about it. We thought the best way to tell it was through humour. So when people say it became unintentionally funny I don't get it," he said.

In the story of Rudra, an incestuous relationship is explored which was not received well.

"The sequence where the amazing Suhasini ma'am in a stellar performance breaks the news to my character Rudra has been for me one of the greatest scenes in my cinematic career. It was a single shot and I had to interpret it how I deemed best. For an actor like me, that was new and unprecedented. With no reference point, I enjoyed that more than any scene in my life because it's different from anything else," he said.

He said the whole episode was treated with dark comedy.

"It was funny when Bejoy (writer-director Bejoy Nambiar) told us about it. It was funny when he called cut. It was funny during dub and it was funny when I saw it on screen. Of course, the characters won't make it a comedy.

"They will be sad and broken and awkward on screen, especially Rudra. Sadly because it was awkward people didn't understand if they were laughing with us (the makers) or laughing at us. Dark comedies are meant to be awkward. Always have been. That was our intention," he explained

"So mocking it (the film), booing in theatres, spreading negativity and hate and degrading the film because you didn't get it, just kills the film. It breaks our hearts, breaks our spirit, and kills the courage you gave me all along. So I beg you. Don't kill Solo. Give it a go with an open mind and you will have a blast with the film," he said.