It isn’t a pretty sight seeing a man putting on make-up. Unless the man happens to be Fawad Khan. As we climb the four steps into his vanity van parked in Mumbai’s Mehboob Studio and look left, we spot the man who makes oestrogen levels across the subcontinent go flip-flop, sitting patiently with his eyes closed as his make-up man brushes pressed powder and then slaps some foundation on his face.

“Why don’t you sit down for a few minutes while I get this out of the way?” booms the baritone — enough to cause fangirl jelly knees for a second, before the journalist in me takes over. I make myself comfortable on a chair to his left, as the make-up man continues doing his job. Fawad still has his eyes closed and just as I start thinking: ‘Does he look better like this with the beard? Does he look better without it?’ the 34-year-old dreamboat opens his eyes and mock-hollers at the make-up guy: ‘Yaar tu meri daadhi sunehri kar de raha hai!’ ‘Will he look good even with a golden beard?’we think in horror, before Fawad — dressed in a grey tee and blue pyjamas — decides to postpone his make-up (lucky us!) and give us his undivided attention. Do we mind? Of course not!
 
Do you like putting on make-up?
What do you think? (Shakes his head wryly) I hate it! Not only is it boring to just sit doing nothing, but I can’t really stand these products on my skin. But what can one do? This is something that comes with the territory. So one might as well just go along and try and smile through the process (smiles). 

Your Calcutta fans are disappointed that you aren’t visiting the city to promote Kapoor & Sons…
Aah! That’s not something that’s in our hands, unfortunately. We just go where the marketing and publicity team of the film tells us to. Personally, I would have loved to go to Calcutta. I have heard lovely things about the place and its people, not to mention its food. I haven’t had the pleasure of going there yet, but hopefully we will be able to change that soon (smiles). 

Here’s hoping! Kapoor & Sons arrives this Friday, close to two years after your debut film Khoobsurat. What took so long to zero in on a second Bolly film?
Kapoor & Sons hooked me only on one count: the script. That’s the primary criterion I base my film choices on. This script, to be honest, is a work of art in itself. It has a very coherent screenplay… it’s very tightly written and the pacing is absolutely correct and I feel it’s a story with no loopholes. The first time I read it, I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in 45 minutes and I picked up the phone and told the Dharma (Productions) people: ‘You guys have gold on your hands’. Despite a certain misconception of what the story actually is, people are really looking forward to the film. Things have been looking pretty good as we have been going along and though none of us are expecting a blockbuster first day, we are sure it will definitely fetch a decent opening. 

Everyone is unanimous that you are leading man material. No apprehensions about doing an ensemble film so early on in your career?
None whatsoever. Honestly speaking, times are changing and actors — especially of this generation — realise that. Yes, there will be some films that only one actor can carry on his shoulders and then there are films like Kapoor & Sons that work best as an ensemble. A film like this is completely driven by the interactions and interpersonal relationships between its various characters. Whether I do a solo film or not really doesn’t bother me. I am concerned about whether the film I am doing has a good story to tell. Screen time is largely irrelevant, par yeh bhi nahin hai ki aap paanch minute ke liye aao aur chaley jao! (Laughs)  Even in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (directed by Karan Johar and starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Fawad, and releasing this Diwali), my screen time is less than that of the others, but the character has a lot of meat. It’s an impactful role… the character is the backbone of the story in some way. 

What’s been the best thing about being a part of Kapoor & Sons?
That the cast and crew just became one family — in the true sense of the term. Our shoots were mostly fun and games. We were on this very long holiday and we were constantly chilling… and sometimes we had to work (smiles). People have bonded on set… off set. I will truly miss this experience. I have developed great personal and professional relationships on set. That, for me, is the biggest takeaway from this film. 

You’ve come in with a body of work in Pakistan. Have you had to learn or unlearn anything to fit into the Bolly scheme of things?
We learn all our lives and we constantly try and better ourselves. But I believe that, as an actor, I bring in a certain flavour that I wouldn’t and shouldn’t want to change. If I change, it wouldn’t be me. People here have signed me on because they feel I can contribute to the script and do things my way. I am very blessed that no one has asked me to learn or unlearn anything here. But I would say I am a director’s actor. I strive to please my director, but at the same time, I believe I bring my own brains to the table… and I wouldn’t do it any other way (smiles). 

How would you look back at your two years in India?
India is a home away from home for me. I feel very comfortable being here.

F2F: FANGIRL(S) to FAWAD

t2 to Fawad: Some of your fangirls in t2 have created a WhatsApp group dedicated to you. 
Fawad: ‘Dedicated’ as in?
t2: Oh, you keep us awake long hours as we share your pictures and discuss how you dimpled when you smiled in a scene in Behadd and the look in your eyes as you drank tea in a sequence in Zindagi Gulzar Hai....
Fawad: Wow! I don’t remember any of these myself (smiles). 
t2: It’s called <Gathering courage>... ‘Fawad Melts Our Ovaries’. 
<Long pause. Intense look. Longer pause. Even more intense look>
Fawad: Seriously?! 
t2: Yes <Thought bubble: ‘Is he going to ask me to leave?! Oh no!’>
Fawad: Wow, that’s something! (Laughs out loud and continues laughing for a bit) I’ll make sure I tell my wife that! 
t2: Sure! (Nervous laugh) 
<Thought bubble: ‘Grrrr!’> 

The people here have always looked after me and till now, I have had the good fortune of working with some great people in the trade —whether it was Anil Kapoor saab and Sonam (Kapoor) in Khoobsurat or Karan Johar in Kapoor & Sons. There have been some missed opportunities, but honestly I have no regrets because my motto is to move forward. One must be prepared for some surprises in life — some things will work out your way, some won’t. You just have to keep working and do things to the best of your ability.

The flipside of course is that I miss my son (Ayaan, 7) terribly. My wife (Sadaf) and son live in Pakistan and though I try and force them to come to Bombay often, their life is back there (smiles wistfully). But people back in Pakistan are happy about my time in Bollywood. They feel I am doing a fantastic job here, although I would really put it down to my luck not running out… yet! (Laughs out loud and smoothens the creases on his PJs) I hope it never runs out, but I am practical enough to realise that it won’t always be like this.

Of course, people back home also want me to do Pakistani films, alongside Bollywood, which I am… I am working on two Pakistani projects currently. I proudly represent Pakistan in India and I hope that many more actors from there come and work here.  The gateway has opened… and it’s a great sign. But I would also want actors from here to go and work in Pakistan… I know Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) has and so has Ratna (Pathak Shah) ma’am. But we need a lot more people to go from here to there. 

You started off as a musician. Any plans of pursuing a music career here?
Not for now. I feel my plate is too full and I would be a glutton if I took on anything more. It’s something that I definitely want to do, but at my own pace. See, I don’t really know whether I could do playback singing because I was part of a rock band (Entity Paradigm) and all my life, I have made  a lot of noise! (Laughs) Honestly, I feel I am a little too old to learn the nuances of classical music now (smiles). As a musician, I have sung, composed and played instruments and a lesser-known fact is that I have composed 20-30 ad jingles as well. So music is a part of the performer in me… thoda toh kaam aata hai… but when I make music here, it has to be a little different… and I am waiting for that opportunity. 

Your female fan following is talked about as much as your films. Have you ever analysed what ticks for you?
(Pauses and smiles) I don’t know, really… but sometimes I think it could be my manners (smiles). Today, we went to a university and when the emcee there asked the women in the audience what it is, I think there was a divide between charm and good manners. That probably works (smiles)… everyone likes a well-mannered person. 

Is this nonchalant attitude towards female attention a front?
(Laughs out loud) I am definitely responsive to it… who won’t like attention? I am very grateful to those who like me and think me worthy of their fandom. Fans are half of an artiste… without someone to appreciate him, an artiste is nothing. I am what I am today because of my fans. But I try and keep my focus because such things are a huge distraction. The female adulation part… I choose to be unaware… because I feel there is so much more work to do. There will be a day down the road when I will bask in it all (laughs). But I have had one or two horror fan incidents, including stalkers. So it hasn’t been all hunky-dory! (Laughs) 

Finally, you have a no-kissing policy on screen. But will that change if a recent interview of yours is anything to go by?
That was a little misinterpreted (smiles). Even when I heard the interview on TV, I was like: ‘Did I really say that?!’ It’s actually an excerpt out of a larger interview and so it appears a little out of context. But honestly, my core audience isn’t comfortable with it and right now, I won’t be able to entertain such requests. Aagey ka mujhe nahin pataa… maybe in two years I will kiss… maybe not (smiles). 

Priyanka Roy
I love Fawad Khan because.... Tell t2@abp.in