Sangay Tsheltrim has been garnering praise for his role as Xiang Le in Akhanda 2 Thaandavam. The actor relates what it was like to work with Nandamuri Balakrishna and looks back at his journey in films
Sangay Tsheltrim
Bhutanese actor Sangay Tsheltrim has become the talk of the town among audiences after his thrilling performance in Akhanda 2 Thaandavam. The film is emerging as a blockbuster, having grossed over 50 crores worldwide on its opening night. The actor essayed the role of the primary antagonist, Chinese army general Xiang Le. In an exclusive chat with Mid-day, he opens up about his experience working in the Telugu industry, what he hopes to learn from Nandamuri Balakrishna, and how Salman Khan gave him his first break in Indian films.
Sangay, who has previously worked in Bollywood action films like Radhe and Jawan, as well as the action-thriller series Freelancer, says that action is his comfort zone. Owing to his background as a captain in the Royal Bodyguard of the Royal Bhutan Army, he tends to gravitate towards the genre. Sangay shared: "I love to do action movies, even in my own country; all my home productions are action movies. It is because of the training I have received as a soldier. I am also a martial artist; I was a boxer earlier. I have a good physique, so it's easier for me to deliver. I can just be myself; I don't have to put in much effort to act."
Sangay Tsheltrim praises Balayya's dedication
Sangay recalls how inspired he was by Nandamuri Balakrishna's work ethic and discipline. Stating how the legend would use astrology to determine when to arrive on set, oftentimes arriving hours before shooting would begin, he shared: "He follows astrology, and he has been doing this throughout. If astrology says he has to be on set at 4 am, he'll be there at 3 am, even though the camera rolls at 10 am. He added, "Following this kind of consistency is very difficult."
Further commending the actor's dedication and endurance, he relates an incident from their shooting spell in Georgia. Sangay mentions, "We were shooting in the mountains in Georgia, there was snow all over, the temperature was -5°, and there he is wearing a half sleeve shirt with slippers! Meanwhile, we couldn't bear the cold despite wearing thick jackets and several layers underneath.
Showering the ultimate praise on the legend, Sangay couldn't help but remark with awe, "I am a soldier, I am a commando, and yet, at age 65, his energy level is higher than mine!"
The two formed a close bond during filming, and Sangay recalled how Balayya would frequently talk to him about his late father, NT Rama Rao, and show him his old photos and movie clips.
No difference between Hindi and Telugu industries
Since he hails from Bhutan, Sangay admits he finds the Hindi and Telugu film industries to be extremely similar. However, he feels that his perspective as an outsider is more beneficial because it allows him to focus on the positives of each region, instead of the unnecessary rifts and divisions people are trying to create between them. He goes on to assert that both films and actors are becoming Pan-India now, quoting the massive success of Dhurandhar in the South and the appearance of Junior NTR in War 2 alongside Hrithik Roshan.
He concedes that the only minute difference he has noticed is that South movies are louder and want to appeal to the masses. He says, "The delivery of my dialogues is quite loud, my expressions are more exaggerated, for instance, my eyes were opening wider. Akhanda 2 was made like that, with a bigger production value and VFX, because that's what fans want," he concluded.
"I am here because of Salman Khan"
Reflecting on Akhanda 2 Thaandavam's extraordinary journey, the actor recalled his not-so-humble beginning in Indian films, crediting Salman Khan for launching his career with Radhe, and calling him his 'godfather'.
Explaining how he fortuitously bagged his role in Radhe, he said, "I didn't give any audition, nor did I have any ambition to be in Bollywood; I was just handpicked by him (Salman Khan) when I met him as a fan, and he gave me a break in Radhe. He saw potential in me and thought I could become an actor. Because of that, I'm here in Bollywood, I'm here in the Telugu industry," he exclaims with gratitude.
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