Working alongside international stars such as actor Jason Momoa, rapper 50 Cent, WWE stars Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns is an experience actor Vidyut Jammwal will remember for a long time. As he makes his Hollywood debut with Street Fighter, the actor says the excitement of sharing screen space with some of the biggest names in entertainment far outweighs any apprehension he might have had about joining an international production.
“There was no pressure. There was only excitement and excitement was I will be working with some of the best, the most talented legends in the world. So, the pressure just didn’t feel, it just didn’t exist. There was excitement to just reach the set and just start meeting these guys and spend so many days with them. And these 40, 45 days were incredible,” he says.
Among the moments that stand out for Jammwal is the appreciation he receives from Momoa. In an earlier interview the Aquaman star had praised Vidyut as he called him “one of the most beautiful-looking men I’ve ever seen in my life”. Reacting to the compliment, Jammwal says, “It was a huge compliment coming from him. I was thrilled to receive that appreciation.”
Beyond the compliment, Jammwal says the opportunity to spend time with the cast was memorable because of the camaraderie they shared. He recalls being excited to meet the actors, interact with them and bring back memories for his friends, who were equally enthusiastic about the prospect of him working with their favourite stars. “For me to know there’s a 50 Cent, there’s a Jason Momoa, there’s a Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, like I knew my friends will be happy because I’m going to go and click pictures and make videos and I will request them and they will do it gladly, which they did. So, for me, the excitement was, like people say, you’re going, take this, take that. I want a video with him. I want him to do this. So, and gladly they all did it,” he says.
{{/usCountry}}Beyond the compliment, Jammwal says the opportunity to spend time with the cast was memorable because of the camaraderie they shared. He recalls being excited to meet the actors, interact with them and bring back memories for his friends, who were equally enthusiastic about the prospect of him working with their favourite stars. “For me to know there’s a 50 Cent, there’s a Jason Momoa, there’s a Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, like I knew my friends will be happy because I’m going to go and click pictures and make videos and I will request them and they will do it gladly, which they did. So, for me, the excitement was, like people say, you’re going, take this, take that. I want a video with him. I want him to do this. So, and gladly they all did it,” he says.
{{/usCountry}}The experience also gave Jammwal an opportunity to see his co-stars beyond their public personas. He describes the group as a close-knit bunch who are comfortable with who they are, rather than being caught up in comparisons with one another. “I would say this is a tribe of warriors that I got to spend time with and they all agree with this thought. I’ve said it to them before.”
Describing the experience as one of his best, Jammwal says, “We had one of the best experiences of being with real gentlemen. Nobody’s insecure, nobody’s really trying to know what’s happening in somebody else’s life. If these guys are happily married, then they are only concerned about this. If we had readings amongst ourselves, it was extremely exciting to watch. Nobody’s interested in what the other person’s doing. This was unusual. I would say this is a tribe of warriors that I got to spend time with and they all agree with this thought. I’ve said it to them before.”
For Jammwal, the film’s world, which brings together fighters from different backgrounds, adds to the appeal of being part of the ensemble. “The movies about these two characters, like people who play the games know this Ken and Ryu, and everybody is like the best fighter from across the globe, like in the game too, like the best fighters in their own fields,” he says.