Dulquer Salmaan's Bollywood Debut: From Faking Stardom to Finding Authenticity
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Bollywood newcomer Dulquer Salmaan, who made his debut in 2018 with Karwaan, has shared his experiences in the competitive Hindi film industry. In a recent appearance at The Hollywood Reporter's Producers Roundtable 2025, the 42-year-old actor revealed the challenges he faced on set. When working in Bollywood, Dulquer found that he had to create an illusion of being a big star to get the respect and amenities he deserved. "I'd get pushed around on set, and my team and I would have to create this perception of stardom to get a chair to sit in or access to the monitors," he said. However, this experience taught him a valuable lesson: perception is everything. In contrast, Dulquer's background in Malayalam cinema was vastly different. He recalled that they never had luxury on set, and would often shoot in various locations across the state, obtaining permission from homeowners and paying them for the use of their property. Dulquer attributes the cultural differences between the two industries to their size. "The size of the Hindi industry is massive, with many more theatres, markets, and viewers," he explained. "In contrast, our industry is much smaller, and we have a different mindset.
