EXCLUSIVE: Karan Anshuman says “Glory is the OPPOSITE of Dangal”; BREAKS silence on Season 2 plans; hails Pulkit Samrat: “Most stars don’t have time to prep hard; wanted someone who would be there 24×7”

Karan Anshuman is one of the directors of Glory, the Netflix series that has been receiving widespread acclaim. Starring Pulkit Samrat, Divyenndu, Suvinder Vicky and others, the show stands out for blending the world of boxing with an intriguing whodunit. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Karan Anshuman spoke about the response to the show, its casting, the writing process and a lot more.

How has the feedback for Glory been?
It’s been tremendous. On OTT, you don’t have numbers coming out the way you have with theatrical releases. So, it’s always tricky to gauge. But this is the most effusive response I have ever received.

Who from the film industry shared their feedback?
All my well-wishers in the industry, whether it’s Rana Daggubati, Ali Fazal, Sudhir Mishra, etc. have excitedly told me how much they have liked it.

How did you get the idea of infusing a murder mystery element into a sports backdrop? Often, filmmakers or writers read about or learn of a real-life incident and then spin a fictional tale around it. Did that happen with Glory as well?
I don’t think there’s anything in particular that sparked it. It was a very constructed idea. There was a plot of a coach who is obsessed with gold, how much he drives his children to make it happen and how he fractures the family in the process. That was actually the starting point. Then, all the other elements came in – murder and other stuff. Even the final culprit was not planned initially. We had no idea who it could be while writing. But then we went with the most shocking bit. It also ties in with the milieu very well.

On paper, it sounds like Dangal but when we see the show, one doesn’t draw parallels at all because of your storytelling…
Glory is the opposite of Dangal! It is anti-Glory as well (laughs).

You have worked with Pulkit Samrat before, in your debut directorial, Bangistan (2015). Many have said that Glory is his finest work. How did he come on board? Was he the first choice?
I think the main reason we approached him is that I wanted someone who would give it all to this role. I also knew that for him, it would be a very refreshing change and he would bite into this, which he did. But more than that, I wanted someone who’s dedicated enough to come for boxing training, action choreography and to sit with me and spend a lot of time. Most of the stars don’t have that kind of time. They don’t always have the time to prepare extensively, so they end up winging it. I wanted someone who would be there 24×7.

Every single scene was rehearsed in advance. Also, it was not like we read it once and moved on. We did it again and again. He shone in the action scenes, but my favourite scenes are the ones where he’s emotionally vulnerable. He has a couple of monologues, too. Getting it right is not going to happen in the pressure cooker situation that we shoot in. You have to be ready and prepped, so that the shoot is just the execution of lot of homework that you’ve done already. Not just Pulkit, we did a lot of work before going on the sets with other actors as well.

You are the one who always gives mass-appealing roles to Divyenndu. Interestingly, his character in Mirzapur is drastically different from that of Glory and yet, both are in the massy space…
Yes, that’s a correct observation. I would not have cast him in a similar role. I am not interested in typecasting. For example, Ali Fazal was a big bet in Mirzapur. He was a chocolate boy next door and we made him a bodybuilder coming out of UP. Venkatesh fans are still in shock over how we was portrayed in Rana Naidu! But I took the risk as I know they are great actors. The same goes for Divyenndu; I know what he’s capable of. He also relishes new challenges, which Glory was.

In fact, Dev in Glory is the opposite of Mirzapur’s Munna. He’s a good person at heart, though his methods are questionable. He’s the moral compass of the show, but viewers realize in hindsight that he was always right.

There are many memorable scenes in the show, but my favourite is when the bull ends up swallowing a grenade. It was hilarious and very imaginative…
(Laughs) You know, every time that scene popped up while we were editing, scoring the music, doing the grading, etc., I couldn’t stop laughing. Every single time. It’s so funny. I love it!

Glory ends on a cliffhanger. Is there a Season 2 on the cards?
I hope it’s on the cards (smiles). Every time we make something, we set up a world with lots of characters. So, it’s always nice to go on to a second season. All my shows have had second seasons. Obviously, I have planned it in such a way that the show ends with the audience wondering what must have happened. But at the same time, I don’t want to pull the rug in a way that you are not satisfied at the end. So, the idea is to solve everything and yet leave a little bit of a cliffhanger.

Also Read: Divyenndu shares intense BTS glimpse of Dev from Glory

The post EXCLUSIVE: Karan Anshuman says “Glory is the OPPOSITE of Dangal”; BREAKS silence on Season 2 plans; hails Pulkit Samrat: “Most stars don’t have time to prep hard; wanted someone who would be there 24×7” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.

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