‘He’s more Dhalsim than Dhalsim’: Street Fighter director Kitao Sakurai praises Vidyut Jammwal

Director Kitao Sakurai opened up about casting Indian actor Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim in Street Fighter, which releases in Indian theatres on Friday, October 16, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Paramount Pictures and Legendary Entertainment’s Street Fighter brings CAPCOM’s iconic video game franchise to the big screen, with an ensemble cast playing the World Warriors.

Director Kitao Sakurai has praised Vidyut Jammwal’s portrayal of Dhalsim, highlighting the actor’s authenticity and personal connection to the character. The action film marks Vidyut’s Hollywood debut.

The character of Dhalsim was first introduced in the game in 1991. He fights to support his family.

Recalling the initial discussions about including Dhalsim in the live-action adaptation, Sakurai said there was some uncertainty, but he believed the film would not be complete without the iconic fighter. He wanted to ensure the character was portrayed in a way that audiences would appreciate.

Sakurai said Vidyut brought a fresh perspective to the role and was keen to introduce Dhalsim’s origins to audiences worldwide.

“He’s more Dhalsim than Dhalsim, and he owns it, and he’s so proud of it. He’s bringing so much realness and authenticity to it,” the director said.

Sakurai acknowledged that the character might have originated as a stereotype but stressed the importance of finding the right actor to portray him authentically rather than dismissing the character altogether. The aim, he said, was to celebrate Dhalsim while approaching the portrayal with a deeper understanding.

The upcoming film also stars Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, Callina Liang, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, and Jason Momoa in key roles.