Priyadarshan shares his advice to Virender Sehwag on English: Just speak

Mumbai, July 29 (IANS) Acclaimed director Priyadarshan shared what he had advised former cricketer Virender Sehwag to make him overcome his hesitation about speaking in English.

Priyadarshan revealed during an exclusive interaction with IANS that as he was shooting a commercial with Sehwag, the former cricketer was facing some trouble with the language and then, the director had advised him to simply speak the language without fearing whether he was speaking correctly.

The ‘Hera Pheri’ maker told IANS, “I was shooting the second ad with Virender Sehwag. He had a problem with the language. So, he was a little conscious, and then I said, ‘Speak, whether it is wrong or right, you speak’.”

Priyadarshan further recalled meeting Sehwag after two years and by when, he had started speaking fluent English.

“He said he was forced to speak”, he shared.

“So, if you are conscious that I can’t speak, there is no other way. They all have to, because I cannot speak Hindi properly, but I can understand. I can even write and read because I studied it till the 10th standard. But I can’t speak fluently,” Priyadarshan concluded.

Meanwhile, Akshay had also shared his views on the language preferences in the film industry.

The ‘Namaste London’ actor said that he has always chosen to speak in Hindi, even back when English was often seen as more fashionable.

“In the ’90s, even if there was an award night, I always said that I would speak in Hindi. Generally too, I always speak in Hindi. Even at many of my conclaves, where there are English speakers, I fold my hands and tell them, you speak in English but I will speak in Hindi. That is my comfort,” Akshay told IANS.

The ‘Houseful’ actor further went on to state that language, for him, has always been about comfort and authenticity and not simply about perception.

–IANS

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