You are from Calcutta? Please say hello to Victor Banerjee.” An affable voice comes all the way from Rawalpindi, offering Javed Sheikh’s aadaab to his Apne co-star. Better known as Shah Rukh Khan’s father in Om Shanti Om, Sheikh is now back on Zindagi in Meri Jaan Hai Tu. A t2 chat with the Pakistani actor...

Weren’t you in Lucknow recently?

Yes, I completed work on Imtiaz Ali’s film. The working title is Khwaishein. Before that, I was shooting in Shimla with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for Tamasha. 

Is Meri Jaan Hai Tu your fourth serial on Zindagi?

Yes, in Pakistan it’s called Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu. It was partly shot in the US. The director Mehreen Jabbar had made the film Ramchand Pakistani with Nandita Das. I play (the male lead) Adeel Hussain’s father and my part was shot entirely in Pakistan. 

You have worked with some of the biggest film stars here. Who created the best impression?

Salman (Khan) has a great heart. Akshay (Kumar) gets friendly very easily, cracks jokes all the time. Shah Rukh is very humble, rehearses so many times. I have been fortunate to work with great actors like Om Puri and Paresh Rawal too. I used to know Rishi Kapoor from the time I was married to Salma (Agha, his ex-wife). Did you know I was offered Khoon Bhari Maang then?

Kabir Bedi’s role?

Yes. Even my clothes were stitched. But I had to leave that picture a few days before the mahurat. I won’t disclose why. Jo debut 1986-87 mein hona tha woh 2005 mein jaake hua.  

If we discount Mohsin Khan as a cricketer-turned-actor, do you think Fawad Khan is the first actor from across the border to create an impact in Bollywood?

There was Nadeem (Baig) who worked in Door Desh with Shashi Kapoor and Parveen Babi. Then in Manoj Kumar’s Clerk, there were Mohd Ali and Zeba Ali. Of course, Zeba Bakhtiar came much later in Henna. But Fawad has created a far more positive impact than Veena (Malik) or Meera have in recent times. 

Have you faced problems with the entry point-specific visa policy for Pakistan nationals?

I was offered UTV Disney’s Fitoor, with Aditya Roy Kapoor and Katrina (Kaif). I was to play Rekha’s husband this time too. I had signed the agreement. The shoot was to happen in Srinagar. When I applied for the visa I was told for Kashmir it takes time. Since I couldn’t keep the unit waiting I had to leave the film. I did act with Rekhaji in Luv Sinha’s debut Sadiyaan but not opposite her. Rekhaji was in the Om Shanti Om song too. Perhaps it is not destined that we act as a couple!