Aditya Rawal marks his first collaboration with veteran actor Anil Kapoor in Subedaar. The actor, who has been a part of movies like Bamfaad and Faraaz, praised Anil Kapoor for his dedication, professionalism and generosity on set, and even recalled receiving advice from Kapoor that helped him overcome hesitation while shooting.
Aditya Rawal recalls Anil Kapoor`s advice
“His involvement and collaboration on set are unmatched, even compared to younger actors. His professionalism and dedication is unmatched, which everyone in the industry knows.”
Recalling an experience during an action sequence with Anil Kapoor, when he was hesitant to perform a move in front of the Bollywood titan, Aditya shared, “There was an action scene, and I have to kind of like raise my hand (on him) and I was a bit hesitant because it is Anil Kapoor in front of me. Sir sensed my hesitation and simply put his arm around me and said, `Tu tension mat le zara bhi tu kar jo tujhe sahi lagta hai…hum ek baar karenge sahi se karenge ekdam`…That liberated me completely and gave me the confidence to perform that scene. That could only happen because of his experience and generosity.”
Rawal further shared that working alongside Kapoor was a learning experience, emphasising the iconic star`s ability to maintain focus and humility despite decades of success in the industry. “You spend a day with him on set and you will learn 10,000 things, whether it`s the stories he has to tell, whether it is how he is functioning in front of the camera or how he is functioning before action and after cut. It was just a phenomenal experience working with him,” he shared.
Aditya also recalled what his father, Paresh Rawal, told him while he was going to share the screen space with Anil Kapoor. “He just said that you`re going to have the time of your life working with Mr. Anil Kapoor, because the passion that he has will motivate you, and you will get to learn so much from him. I`m sure you are going to come back with a smile on your face,” shared Aditya.
Aditya Rawal on his character in Subedaar
Aditya, who stars as an antagonist in Subedaar, opened up about the uniqueness of his character and the film`s vision, applauding the director for carving a space that allows performers to explore while keeping the story grounded.
“It`s a character that is so no-holds-barred, so colourful in every way, so dangerous in every way. Even the whole look of the character is something unlike something I`ve done. I feel this role is truly a testament to the faith that makers have in my ability, because roles like this aren`t typically offered early in one`s career. To be entrusted to hold my own as a strong antagonist alongside legendary actors like Anil sir is humbling, and I`m incredibly grateful. Playing a character so different from myself is challenging, but having done it before, there`s also a sense of freedom. Once we found who Prince is, working closely with Suresh Sir, it became a matter of letting go and fully inhabiting the character,” he shared.
Speaking about the challenges of playing an antagonist, Aditya says, “As an actor, I try to ensure that every role I take on is different from what I`ve done before. It`s a way to constantly challenge myself, and it also gives audiences something fresh to experience with each project. I`m just glad that I`m getting the opportunities to play all these roles. Even stuff that`s coming out after Subedaar is very, very different from anything I`ve done.”
Subedaar also stars Radhikka Madan, Saurabh Shukla, Mona Singh, Faisal Malik and Khushboo Sundar in key roles. Directed by Suresh Triveni and produced by Vikram Malhotra, the film is set to premiere on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu across India and over 240 countries and territories on March 5, 2026.
