Vidyut Jammwal: Hollywood action inspired by Indian martial art Kalaripayattu; they were copying us

Touted as one of the greatest action stars in the world, Vidyut Jammwal has been receiving tremendously positive responses from the viewers, critics and industry alike for his latest hostage drama Sanak – Hope Under Siege streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex. Considered as India’s biggest action film in the OTT space, Sanak features some cool and never-seen-before action sequences performed by the actor. While the trailer features amazing action on par with international standards, Vidyut was asked if he was inspired by any Hollywood movie or any action star from the West while working on the film. 

Countering the accepted notion of inspiration between Bollywood and Hollywood when it comes to action, Vidyut sets the record straight. He clarifies, “People keep comparing our style of action with Hollywood, but that’s not true. The fact is that all the legendary actors from Hollywood and across the globe are basically inspired by our Indian martial art Kalaripayattu, which is around 3000 years old. So that way, we are not copying them, they were copying us. We are doing it, again and again, to show them how it should be done through the medium of cinema.”

“Comparing our style of action with Hollywood, I often hear people saying that Jackie Chan or some other actor has done this before. I think to even reach the capacity and level of Jackie Chan sir is a big deal. I have grown up watching his films on TV, VHS cassettes with stop, pause and rewind,” Vidyut adds. 

Introducing a first-of-its-kind hostage drama in Hindi cinema, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex and Zee Studios’ Sanak – Hope Under Siege hopes to change the game in the action-entertainment space as this intriguing story unfolds in a hospital under siege.