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If Fawad Khan is such a hit in India, can the equally drool-worthy Imran Abbas remain far behind? Pakistan’s other Imran is set to debut on Indian screens big and small with Creature 3D on September 12 and Mera Naseeb on Zindagi from September 23 at 8pm. This t2 chat happened before Imran’s travel plans to Mumbai to promote the film were jeopardised by visa problems following political trouble in hometown Islamabad.
How long have you been working in India?
I just completed my second film Raqs (now renamed Jaanisaar) a couple of months back with Muzaffar Ali. Creature was my first, directed by Vikram Bhatt and co-starring Bipasha Basu. Working with Bipasha... experimental project, big budget... it’s a great film for a launch.
Did she tell you that she is from Calcutta?
Calcutta is in Bengal, right? Yes, yes. She told me that. She is a brilliant co-worker and a good friend now. Mere zehen mein tha ki she is a big star. I have been working in Pakistan for eight years but in Bollywood, I am a newcomer. But she made me comfortable before we came on the camera. I never felt like I am from another country. We started work on a happy note. We spent 90 days in Ooty and Mumbai. We feature in almost all the scenes, the nature of the film is such. It’s 3D and with the kind of sets they have, every scene had to be shot three times. Bahut waqt saath guzaarne ko mila.
You both share a liplock on screen…
Hey, that was meant to be a surprise! (Pauses and then laughs) The film is meant to cater to all audiences, it has every masala and mazedaar element that is meant for a 21st century new-generation audience.
Is kissing allowed in Pakistani films?
Probably not a liplock, no! But in the films being made in recent times, kaafi intimate scenes hain. Censor policies keep changing, kabhi narm ho jaati hai, kabhi sakht ho jaati hai. Par itna zyaada hum azad nahin hain.
What about the clothes women wear on screen?
Through Zindagi, you will have an idea as to how things are in Pakistan. Things are not so strict. It’s not as if women are in purdah and men are in salwar kameez all the while. Our fashion industry has flourished a lot. The kind of portrayal that the media is doing, especially the news channels, is very, very wrong and negative and this is the right time and opportunity to correct these projections through our drama in a positive way. We are a progressive, modern country.
When you say news channels, where are you pointing fingers?
Even our own news channels. Recently a news channel was banned. Pakistan mein rehte hue aap duniya ke samne Pakistan ka aisa image banaa rahe ho jisse hamari foreign investment pe asar ho raha hai, international tourism pe asar ho raha hai… Logon ke zehen mein soch badal jaate hain iss desh ke baare mein. That is very wrong.
How open are girls there in showering affection on male stars like you? Everywhere there are ways to show affection (pauses in audible embarrassment)... social media ke taur pe, milne ke taur pe.... I don’t know how it is in India. If you google, every single country has my fan club. They post on my pages. Sometimes it gets intense, then the security has to step in. Par achhi bhi lagti hai! This love is the reason why we work so hard.
Had you already started work in Bollywood before the decision was taken to beam Pakistani serials here on Zindagi?
Baat toh chal rahi thi but the final decision is a recent development, after I finished shooting for two films. I should be happy ki mere filmein aane se pehle mujhe pehchaan mil rahi hai. My projects are coming
back-to-back, but my character is different in each. Big stars are coming on TV on weekly shows. Aap Salman Khan saab, Amitabh Bachchanji, Madhuri Dixit ko dekh lijiye. Yes, the difference is they are already Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan while I am starting out. One should not come so frequently on TV that the magic is gone and people don’t bother to go to the cinemas to see you anymore. Fortunately, the serial on Zindagi will air for a short period. Our projects do not last longer than 22 episodes.
Serials ending in 22 episodes is not something viewers here are used to. What would you say to them?
People have seen Pakistani serials like Dhoop Kinare, Ankahee and Tanhaiyan which used to be of 13-15 episodes (available in India on pirated CDs in the ’90s). Our drama projects have a focused storyline. There are no daily surprises. No one comes back after a plastic surgery!
Tell us about Mera Naseeb, which is going to be aired on Zindagi.
Mera Naseeb was shot in 2011 and aired on Hum TV. It was one of the best serials of the time... got the highest TRPs. Moiz is not a regular hero. There are many shades to his character. You will keep loving and hating him. I was not supposed to look good, or be humble and kind. I had never done such a character before.
Do you think Zindagi will open doors for other actors from Pakistan in India?
Dua hai ki taluqaat achhe rahein. Please god, that visa policies remain simple. Above all, logon ke dilon mein mohabbat ho. That is most important.
Are you in touch with the other Pakistanis working in Bollywood?
I met Ali Zafar, but both of us are busy with our own work. Main zyaada logon se milta-milata nahin hoon. I am not much of an outgoing person.
What about Fawad Khan?
Fawad and I have done projects together. But we haven’t met since we came to India. He was shooting in Jaipur, I was shooting in Ooty. Then he was shooting in Mumbai when I was shooting in Lucknow.
Is it true that you turned down films like Guzaarish before Creature?
I didn’t turn it down. I was offered Guzaarish (Hrithik Roshan-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-Aditya Roy Kapoor) by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Par uss samay political mahaul between Pakistan and India kharab ho gayi. I was stopped from coming to India. The director said it would be difficult for him to cast me. Other than that, I was offered the lead in Aashiqui 2, then Boss... Raj Kumar Santoshi signed me for three films…. But he started working on Phata Poster Nikla Hero with Shahid Kapoor first. Finally, Akshay Kumar got me released from the contract for Boss. Boss ki wajah se maine Aashiqui 2 chhodi. Boss got delayed because of pre-production and when it finally got on the floors, I couldn’t do it because I was stuck with a Pakistani project which I had already signed.
How did you feel when you heard Aashiqui 2 was a big hit?
I did feel very depressed. It was such a nice film. But destiny rules.
