Nikitin Dheer spoke about working with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in stills from Chennai Express and Dabangg 2.

Actor Nikitin Dheer, who is known for playing villains in several big ticket films, has shared the screen with superstars like Shah Rukh Khan in Chennai Express, Salman Khan in Dabangg 2 and Anitm, and Akshay Kumar in Housefull 3 and Sooryavanshi. In a recent interview, the actor revealed the differences between Shah Rukh and Salman’s approach to their craft.

Talking about the two Khans, Dheer told Siddharth Kannan, “I think when you are doing scenes with Shah sir, he loves to rehearse, so he goes with that. With Salman bhai it is about the flow, ‘Kya nikalta hai (what comes out of it)…. That is the basic difference between the both.”

Sharing that Salman is more instinctive as a performer, he said, “With Salman bhai, a lot of things that happen are very instinctive. So many times he and I have had action scenes together/

I remember so many times the action master would say you won’t be able to do it this way, and I’d go up to Salman sir and say ‘Aise hona chaahiye (it should be like this) because when you hit me this way, it’ll look great!’ He is so magnanimous, he’s say, ‘Kar na, tu maar (You do it, hit me).’ So, their approaches are slightly different.”

“Shah sir is mind-blowing in action. His action-reaction, I think, is the best. I remember how he has this one pattern of falling because he used to play football and all, so he falls straight on the ground and just before hitting the ground he’ll put his hand down.

He is outstanding. When you are shooting it in slow motion, you catch him falling like that. It is very difficult, people who do action will understand how difficult it is to have faith in your own body and that you’ll stop the fall last minute with your hand. This is in spite of having a broken shoulder,” he added.

Dheer, who is the son of veteran actor Pankaj Dheer, shared that actors like SRK, Salman, Akshay and Ajay Devgn are superstars today because they are “secure actors”.

He said, “I have worked with Shah sir, Akshay sir, Salman bhai, I worked with Ajay sir, with these big superstars. All of them are relaxed.

At the age we are working with them, they were superstars at that age, so they are kind of aware that they are at the stratosphere of things. So, when they see your humility and respect towards them, they calm down.

I have been very fortunate, all of them have treated me like a kid only. Salman bhai has seen me since I was 7-8 years old. I have sat on his lap as a kid because my father had done Jaagruti and Sanam Bewafa with him. I know Akshay sir also from childhood because his first seven films were with my father.

I remember Ajay sir was shooting Phool Aur Kaante near Juhu beach, we used to go and watch him. I have seen these guys over the years. They have a level of security in them that is why they are where they are. He’s so secure, he gives his own lines to his co-stars.”