Vishal Jethwa on IB 71: 'People love me in negative roles like in Mardaani 2 hence I signed the film as an antagonist'

Director Sankalp Reddy, who helmed the multilingual The Ghazi Attack (2017) brings yet another patriotic tale titled IB 71. The movie stars Mardaani (2019) and Salaam Venky (2022) fame Vishal Jethwa as an antagonist. It is slated to release on May 12 and also features Anupam Kher, Ashwath Bhatt, and Dalip Tahil in pivotal roles. The Free Press Journal was present at the do.

At the launch, an elated Vishal Jethwa shares, “I am honoured to be standing along with such talented people. A lot of actors took up projects after Covid that came their way. I got a call and I was told that they want to cast me in a role for a film that has been under preparation for a year. I felt so happy to even listen to it. Since the time I heard the narration, I decided to do the film.”

“I received a lot of love for my role in Mardaani. Hence, I thought that I should do a role that people want me to do. It is important for me to pick up roles that they like to see me in. In IB 71, I play an antagonist, who is a limitlessly crazy person and can go to any extent to achieve his goals,” he adds.

He further explains, “The amount of abuses I will get for this role, I would consider it as my achievement. I try to work on my diction and language for every role I do. My director, Sankalp sir, told me that he won’t teach me to act on the sets. Initially, I was scared that I might make mistakes. I gave my best to the role since I instinctively said yes to doing the film.”

Dalip Tahil, who plays the role of the former President of Pakistan (1971-1973) and former PM (1973-1977), Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in the film says, “The connection between us is that he was a Pakistani Sindhi and I am an Indian Sindhi. Later the process began and I am grateful to the entire team of IB 71. When I was told that Sankalp Reddy is directing the film, I was doubly excited. I loved The Ghazi Attack and it’s one of the best films shot under a submarine.”

Director Sankalp Reddy says, “I was not even born at the time this incident occurred. Since this is my first ever Hindi remake hence IB 71 is special for me.”