Injured Mithun still a daredevil in movies

New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) Some stars never age. Actor Mithun Chakraborty is one of them.

In the capital to cheer his Indian Cricket League (ICL) team, the Royal Bengal Tigers, which played the Dhaka Warriors in Gurgaon Saturday, the actor showed that he was still a do-it-yourself daredevil and stuntman at 58 - even if it meant a few cuts and bruises.

Mithun hurt himself while jumping off a helicopter while shooting for the film 'Luck' in Durban in South Africa and injured his hand.

'I jumped from a helicopter without realising that the safety mat had been displaced and there was a boulder. I crashed on it,' said the actor, just out of the hospital after a minor surgery - with his hand in a sling and bruises on his brow.

'I am on sedatives. There was a blood clot but I ignored it in South Africa. The wound worsened and I went to a clinic after landing in Mumbai and removed it. Everyone thinks it's easy to be a movie star, but it's tough being a hero,' he told reporters Saturday.

Mithun plays a senior army officer with Sanjay Dutt in 'Luck', directed by Soham Shah and slated for release next year.

'I have 12 movies awaiting release this year, but you must watch 'Heroes' in which I play a very interesting character of a father. You must watch 'Heroes',' the actor said.

'Heroes', directed by Samir Karnik, is being billed as one of the most inspiring movies this season.

Mithun feels that today's stars have an edge over the older crop of action heroes, who had to perform several stunts themselves. 'Moviemaking in Bollywood is technically more advanced now with more safety nets. Today's action heroes are well-protected,' he said.

The actor is also part of several projects in the Bengali movie industry. 'Two movies that I am working on at the moment are 'Sukno Lanka' (Dry Chilly) and 'Handa-Bhonda' with Aritro Dutta Banik, the tiny star of Zee TV's 'Dance Bangla Dance',' Mithun told IANS.

'Tollygunge is making great movies. Talent abounds in the Bengali movie industry,' he said.

The star is also promoting the Bengal Football Academy, along with the Bengal contingent for the ICL.

'I must begin with little things now and then move on to bigger projects in Bengal,' said the actor, for whom both 'cricket and movies are all about luck'.

Asked about his most enduring performance in a recent film, he said, 'I have put in my best for 'Ekti Nodir Galpo' (Story of a River).'

The movie, directed by samir Chanda, is based on a story by Bengali novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay.