It was in 2018 that actor Dulquer Salmaan marked his Hindi film debut with Karwaan. He went on to star in The Zoya Factor (2019) alongside Sonam Kapoor Ahuja. And three years later, he’s working on two Hindi projects — a film by R Balki and a web series, Guns And Gulaabs.

Quiz him about his sporadic work in the Hindi film industry, and Salmaan says, “I hear the same complaint from every industry I work in, which is actually very sweet. I’m humbled that the audience misses seeing me on screen.”

However, he’s quick to add that he doesn’t believe in over-exposure. “I’d rather have them miss me than be like, ‘Oh no! Not him again! We just saw him last month. How many more films will we see him in?’ I think being a little exclusive works in my favour,” he shares.

In February, Salmaan, who made his acting debut with the Malayalam movie Second Show (2012), completed a decade in films. Recalling his early days, the actor, who is the son of superstar Mammootty, says, “I came into the industry literally terrified, insecure and completely unsure of my future. I used to wonder if people would be open to watching me on screen for two hours. I didn’t want to do remakes, sequels and bilinguals. If you told me 10 years back that I would go on to work in four languages and be recognised and accepted, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Having been a part of a slew of successful films, including Bangalore Days (2014), O Kadhal Kanmani and Charlie (both 2015), the 35-year-old feels more “secure as an actor and a person” today. “I can look after my family and provide for them. It’s been amazing so far and my fingers are crossed for the next ten [years]. And I can finally watch myself on screen now,” Salmaan ends with a laugh.