Chaya Unnikrishnan
Posted online: Friday, February 09, 2007 at 0000 hours IST
So, are you quitting television?
I am still doing Virasat which has now moved onto STAR One. But that apart I will not do anymore television.
Why? Has the shift from STAR Plus to STAR One affected Virasat's TRPs?
It has affected the TRPs...but for the better. Initially, on STAR Plus the TRPs were lower than expected. That surprised us given the fact that the entire cast and crew has put its heart and soul into the project. But the response has improved since and the move to STAR One has worked to our benefit.
Which means that you are continuing...
Of course. As long as the serial is on air, I will be a part of the cast and I hope that it goes from strength to strength.
Does that mean you are not miffed with the cut in the remuneration?
Not really. Every channel has its own budget considerations and remunerations. Ravi Chopra (producer) is very fair to everybody. He is not the kind to unnecessarily cut the package and we are all working around it.
What about the ego problems between you and Aman Varma?
Frankly, there was no discrepancy between us on a personal level. In the serial we play brothers who are at cross-ends and sometimes the characters become bigger than actors. That's all.
I agree I have done films in the past but it's also true that I have also lost out on many good roles due to my commitment to the small-screen. One such role I regret losing out is Meghna Gulzar's Just Married. The script is brilliant and my track and role were good. The inability to do it set me and my wife (Mansi) thinking and came to a decision that I will not to do any more television.
How did you bag the role in Sivaji Production's Delhii Heights?
Ananth Kumar who's directed the film had seen me in the song 'Ishq samandar...' and liked my naughtiness. He told me he was looking for an actor with a glint in his eye and I fitted the role. Incidentally, I have got a fantastic response for my look in the promos. In the film, Jimmy (Sheirgill) and me are childhood friends who live in the same building called Delhii Heights. Though we are pals, we have absolutely contrasting views and outlook towards life. I play a happy-go-lucky, vibrant character who eyes every pretty girl that comes his way. Bobby, that's what I am called in the film, is married to Simone Singh but continues to be a notorious flirt while Jimmy is serious, responsible and loyal.
How close is the character to you?
Bobby and Rohit are poles apart. I know everyone in the media thinks that I am a colourful guy but that's not true. For this role, I have modelled myself on a dear friend of mine. Obviously I can't tell you the name, he will never invite me. (laughs). As far as I am concerned I am the same whether my wife is with me or not. Bobby, on the other hand, behaves innocently when his wife is around but the moment she's out of sight he is back to being a cool stud.
You are also a part of the ensemble cast that includes Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Viveik Oberoi and Tusshar Kapoor in Shootout At Lokhandwala. Won't you get lost in the crowd?
I don't think so. As you said, it is an ensemble cast and every character is strong in the story. The film is based on a true incident that happened in Lokhandwala. The police were tipped off about some gangsters being holed up in a building. Ironically, the tip-off was given by the don himself because he wanted them eliminated! Tusshar, Viveik, Shabbir Ahluwalia and myself play underworld gangsters while Sanjay and Suniel are the cops. There's a great twist in the story.
How did you prepare yourself to play the mafia?
We actually had an ex-convict on the sets who coached us about how he stands and the dialect he uses. This made the characters very real in a stylishly shot film.
Do you have any other films in the pipeline?
Yes, I am doing Sanjay Gupta's Dus Kahaniyan and Alibagh. Dus... is a series of ten short stories. An experimental film, I would call it a new form of story-telling. There are ten completely non-related short films catering to different genres including comedy, horror, romance and adultery, to name a few. It has a wider spectrum though each film enscapulates just 10-12 minutes. My track is with Anita and Nana Patekar. It is based on one of the popular stories from Gubbare. Other prominent actors in the film include Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpai and Dia Mirza.
What about Alibagh?
This is a semi-autobiographical film about Gupta and his friends. It's about life through his eyes.
Since it is also about his friends, will you be playing yourself?
No, I am playing a character but it will be close to real.
Was it your dream to be a director?
Yes. Since I became an actor I had this inherent need to create. When I started shooting for my debut serial Swabhimaan, on the first day itself my co-actors predicted that I would become a director someday. That was because I was very curious to learn about everything from cinematography to lighting and sound.
Did you communicate your desire to Sanjay Gupta?
No, I didn't have to. I have been working with him for quite sometime and he realised my dream. I am scripting my directorial venture. I am also directing one short film Rice Plate which is about a Muslim girl and Hindu guy as part of Dus Aur Kahaniyan, part 2 of Dus Kahaniyan. And no, I won't be acting in it
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