Tiger Shroff: The reluctant schoolboy

"Student 2 (SOTY 2) makes me feel more human. In this film, I am somehow stripped of my powers. If I am hit, I will bleed. If I'm bullied, I'll probably cry, "says actor Tiger Shroff, lying on a chair in Dharma Productions, Andheri's office. Since this 29 year old player made his debut with Heropanti (2014), he has earned the reputation of being a hero of action. The following films – Baaghi, A Flying Jatt and Munna Michael – further reinforce his "tough guy" reputation.

With SOTY 2, a teenage romance produced by Karan Johar, Shroff pushed his limits at the price of feeling "uncomfortable and insane". By his own admission, Shroff has felt "like an outsider" on the set, while he's been part of the industry for five years and that he's been born into a family of movies. "It does not look like any of the movies I've done before. I know everything about the student of the year 2012 (with Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra). I had big shoes to fill, "says Shroff. Finally, he became acquainted with Rohan Sachdev, his character from SOTY 2. "After that, I started to entertain myself," he says.

SOTY 2 has a totally new story, even though the school (St. Therese) where the characters study remains the same. While Tiger Shroff has five releases to his credit, his co-actors Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday make their debut on the big screen. "The girls are amazing. They do not even appear as newcomers. They are so well prepared and focused that I sometimes had to improve my game on trays to track them, "says Shroff, also known for his dance moves.

"When I joined the film industry, was desperate to impress people and do the right thing. As a result, I was often not comfortable. SOTY 2m has learned to relax a little and to be myself. I am always anxious during the action and dance sequences because I try to meet the expectations of the public. However, I enjoyed filming the scenes where I had to play normally. I also liked the romantic scenes. What I remember from the movie is that I do not have to be stuck all the time.

So, who is the real Tiger Shroff? "Someone who does not like doing movie promotions and answering the same questions over and over again. However, I know it's part of the job and I respect it, "he said. When not working on a movie, the actor likes to watch superhero movies, be at the gym, play football or practice martial arts. "When I was four years old, I watched a Bruce Lee movie for the first time, I was fascinated. My parents have enrolled me in a martial arts clbad. There was no turning back, "says Shroff, who says the Spiderman series with Tobey Maguire is one of his favorites.

Shroff says that he will continue to make action movies. "As long as my legs do not give up," he says. In his next film, an action thriller produced by Yash Raj Films, Shroff will be seen alongside Hrithik Roshan. The actor SOTY 2 is delighted. "I've always been a fan of Hrithik, sir. It is a privilege to work with him. His work ethic, focus and determination are unparalleled, "says Shroff. Their film, which has no title yet, is due out in October.