Pushpa 2 in Hindi: How Shreyas Talpade recreated Allu Arjun's magic in Hindi voiceover [Exclusive]

Shreyas Talpade is undoubtedly a versatile and talented actor who has carved a niche for himself in Indian cinema. Whether it's his impeccable comic timing in films like Golmaal Returns and Golmaal Again, his heartfelt performance in Iqbal, or his impactful voice work like dubbing for Allu Arjun in the Hindi version of Pushpa, Shreyas Talpade consistently brings authenticity and charisma to his roles.

His ability to adapt to a wide range of characters—be it emotional, humorous, or intense—makes him a powerhouse performer. Fans often praise his natural screen presence and the magic he creates through his subtle expressions and nuanced acting.

Shreyas Talpade is truly having a remarkable moment in his career, with a series of exciting and high-profile projects lined up.

Shreyas Talpade's dedication to his craft shines through as he takes on the challenging task of dubbing for Allu Arjun's iconic character, Pushpa Raj, in Pushpa 2: The Rule. In his exclusive chat with International Business Times, India, Shreyas shared insights into the immense effort required for the project. Spending hours in dubbing sessions, he worked meticulously to capture the raw intensity, nuanced emotions, and unique mannerisms of Pushpa Raj, ensuring the Hindi version resonates authentically with audiences.

The actor also delved into the challenges of portraying Pushpa's rugged persona through voice, particularly for scenes involving habits like chewing tobacco and smoking. Shreyas explained how he had to adjust his tone, breathing, and delivery to reflect these details convincingly, which speaks volumes about his commitment to staying true to the character's essence.

Excerpts from the interview

IBT: You have dubbed for the Hindi version of Pushpa. Are you excited or nervous about the release?

Shreyas: I am very excited and nervous as well. The reason is that during the first part, there were no expectations. But that became so huge that this time, there are expectations. With every film that typically happens, you have butterflies in your stomach till the audience starts to react. Of course, you hope that they react in a nicer manner, be kind to you and positive. But yes, I think that is a feeling every actor is fortunate to experience and I am not different.

IBT: Have you met Allu Arjun? Has he seen the Hindi version (your dubbed version) of Pushpa?

Shreyas: No, I haven't met Allu Arjun to date but I look forward to meeting him sometime. I really admire his work and I genuinely want to meet with him. I don't know if he has seen the Hindi version. I guess he must have been busy dubbing for the Telugu one as I was for the Hindi one. So, I don't know but I am looking forward to meeting him someday.

IBT: Have you seen Telugu, the Tamil version of Pushpa?

Shreyas: Telugu, the pilot track, of course, we have the track. I see what he's done and how he's said it in Telugu and then I try to dub for Hindi. But, I haven't seen the other languages.

IBT: What is it like to dub a film? Does the meaning change? Is it simplified or is it translated as is?

Shreyas: Well, my take when I dub for the Hindi version is to make it better, make it more relatable to the Hindi-speaking audience and add more value, in whatever way I can to the already-fantastic work that's portrayed on-screen. So, we have to stick to the script and convey the emotion and the dialogue more effectively for the Hindi-speaking audience in their language. But yes, we tend to do a couple of improvisations when we are dubbing for the film. But overall, we cannot change the meaning but you can't have a script of your own. You have to follow that track.  

IBT: Box-office numbers of South films are humongous. South superstars are worshipped and less trolled as compared to Bollywood. Your take?

Shreyas: The positive that I take from increasing box office numbers and I guess there are trolls everywhere, whether it is Hindi, Tamil or Telugu industry. There are going to be such trollers everywhere and everyone handles them in their own manner. As far as increasing box office numbers, I think it is a positive that the film industry in general is working. People want to go to theatres and watch films, whether it is a South film, Hindi film, or Gujarati and Marathi. The good thing is that every film now is becoming a Pan-India film and language is no longer the barrier. It doesn't matter to people if it is in Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Rajasthani or any language. If it is a good film, they go in numbers to watch the film and it is a very positive sign for the industry.

Essentially, there are a lot of actors now working in various languages. Language is no longer a barrier. The film industry in general has to work and only then will we be able to generate more films and more revenue for our people.

IBT: Being a Maharashtrian, do you plan to produce and direct Marathi films, as after Gharat Ganapati, people want to see regional films more?

Shreyas: Yes, we have been producing films in intervals, not very consistently. But yes, we have produced around 4-5 films, mostly Marathi, one in Hindi. Yes, we intend to produce a few more. Maybe, when I get free from my current acting commitments, I will have some time to plan and take it forward.