Why would someone as accomplished as Jagapathi Babu, who has a 35-year career and numerous Telugu and Tamil films behind him, try his luck in Hindi movies? Why not, he laughs, when we meet him at Ruslaan’s trailer launch.

“I want to work in all languages; more the experience, more the fun. Also, I would be the only one to have tried all languages. I love that artistes from all languages are blending in,” he says.

The senior actor, 62, plays leading man Aayush Sharma’s father in the Karan L Butani-directed film. Before this, he debuted in Hindi films with Sharma’s superstar-brother-in-law Salman Khan’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (KKBKKJ, 2023). The underwhelming response to the action drama left him heartbroken.

“When KKBKKJ didn’t work, I felt bad. It was a Salman Khan film. That success would have helped me. But Ruslaan will do the magic for me. My character has mettle. Our director had a clear vision of the story. The director-actor equation is like making love. I saw Karan’s eyes; they spoke to me. He could convey everything without talking. Working with Aayush was a joy. He is an assured actor and has a grip on everything.”  

Ruslaan, also starring Vidya Malavade and Sushrii Mishraa, is a quintessential action film. Many believe that the genre is reaching a saturation point, but Babu isn’t worried. “A film’s first hero is the script. I feel mindless action has lost steam, but this film has emotions and enough heightened drama to hold the story.”

Up next, the actor will begin shooting for Pushpa 2 - The Rule. “I play the main antagonist in Pushpa 3. I will be introduced towards the end of Pushpa 2. It’s an interesting character.”