Babbal Rai unveils Gippy Grewal's importance in his life

Babbal Rai unveils Gippy Grewal’s importance: The singer-turned-actor was wax lyrical about the Desi Superstar of the Punjabi film industry.

Singer-turned-actor Babbal Rai was witnessed on the celluloid for the first time in a guest appearance in Navaniat Singh’s ‘Singh vs Kaur‘ (2013).

While Rai got his first significant role in Ksshitij Chaudhary’s ‘Mr & Mrs 420‘ the following year, his start-stop acting career saw him do only two more such roles in the next six years.

In a recent interview with Punjabi Mania, Rai disclosed the unusual manner in which he signed Mr & Mrs 420 and admitted being apprehensive regarding playing the character of a girl in his first movie.

“Someone else was meant to do that role but it didn’t work out for him. Jassie [Gill] then asked me if I was interested. While I was apprehensive in the beginning, I took it as a challenge and thought that people will praise me if I execute it well. Thankfully, people liked it a lot,” Rai was quoted as saying.

Rai, who was last seen in a pivotal role in Neeru Bajwa’s ‘Sargi‘ (2017), will now be seen in Rakesh Mehta’s ‘Ik Sandhu Hunda Si‘ after three years. Rai further confessed that the time-off aided him to care less about the singer in him while acting in a movie.

“Earlier, it was difficult for me to leave behind the singer [in me] while acting in a movie. I used to think that Babbal Rai would never do it [demand of the character]. I have made terms with it now and enjoy the process a lot.

“I no longer care if Dimpy Brar’s [character name in Ik Sandhu Hunda Si] hair are messed up or how others are behaving with him. He is Dimpy Brar. He is not Babbal Rai. Anything can happen with him. When you develop such a mindset, you start enjoying acting,” Rai said.

“Singing and acting are two different zones…”

Rai, who is also a beneficiary of a Punjabi singer eventually transforming into an actor, believes that both the fields are different and should be treated accordingly. Laying emphasis on still finding his feet in acting despite having three releases up his sleeve, Rai spoke affirmatively with respect to his upcoming movies.

“See, I am an artist first. Singing and acting are two different zones for me. You should keep exploring yourself. Singing has its own challenges; selecting a song being the primary one. In films, getting a good team and script is the most important. Then if you perform your character in the right way, nothing like it.

“I am trying to achieve that [in acting]. In the three films which are slated to release [this year], my work has been appreciated by the team. I hope that people will also like my work on the silver screen,” Rai added.

Babbal Rai unveils Gippy Grewal’s importance in his life

Other than Ik Sandhu Hunda Si, Rai will also be seen in Rana Ranbir’s ‘Posti‘ and Baljit Singh Deo’s ‘Maa‘ this year. If these two movies release on their announced release dates, Rai will be witnessed on the silver screen thrice in the next 10 weeks.

Anyone who follows Punjabi movies should be quick to observe that superstar Gippy Grewal is a common factor in all of Rai’s forthcoming movies. Both Posti and Maa are being produced by Grewal under his home production of Humble Motion Pictures. Other than just bankrolling these movies, Grewal is also playing the lead role in Maa.

Having also played a cameo in Grewal’s ‘Ardaas Karaan‘ last year, the Grewal-Rai association will technically be four movies old now. ‘Main Terra Akshay’, Rai’s successful single track featuring rapper Bohemia, had also released on Grewal’s music label Humble Music in 2018.

It is worth mentioning that Rai and Grewal’s collaborations aren’t restricted to the last few years. While one is witness to Rai performing before Grewal during the promotions of Singh vs Kaur, the former unveiled in an intriguing story as to how their association dates back to his days in Australia.

“His [Gippy veera] importance in my life is like that of an elder brother. We know each other for 12-13 years now. When I was studying in Australia, two-three of my music videos had worked [on YouTube]. It was at that time that I accompanied him twice during his Australia tours.

“I used to work as a cab driver with Gippy veere’s elder brother Sippy [Grewal] bai ji. Be it my personal or professional life, I always consult him [Gippy Grewal] for suggestions. During my guest appearance in Singh vs Kaur, my first-ever scene was shot with him. It was my dream to work as his younger brother on-screen. Fortunately, that dream will be fulfilled in Maa,” Rai concluded.