Interview :

Q: As a rule TV actors rarely hit the big time in films. So you must be feeling lucky.

A: I think that this whole talk about TV actors failing to make it in films is too much of an exaggeration. It's not a rule of thumb that every artist making the switch is bound to fail. javed Shaikh made it big in films, his brother Salim didn't do all that bad either. Babar Ali is one of your top heroes at the moment and all these men made it to films from TV. I'm confident that I too can follow in their footsteps.

Q: But all these men performed on television for just abreif period of time, using TV merely as a stepping stone to get into films. Established small screen actors haven't had quite the same luck.

A: Yes, you are right there, but I do hope I can adapt to the requirements of the big screen. Actually, I would like to be able to keep my feet in both camps.

Q: And do you think you have the staying power ?

A: I am confident that I can perform adequately.

Q: You play the villain in 'Inteha'. Was that by chioce ?

A: Lets just say that I chose to play the role I was offered. Playing Zafar was a very challenging undertaking for me in the sense that the character of a psychopath obsessed with a woman has been played many times - by Sharukh Khan, by Nana Patekar and by Shaan. It was a fomidable task to play the role in a way that it wouldn't look influenced by the work of any of these actors.

Q: So what ground rules of performance did you lay for yourself to ensure dissimilarity ?

A: Quite a few. And then Samina helped along the way in fact, she kept a check on my delivery to the point where she would caution me the way I moved my hands if she thought that the gesture looked too similar to one used by lets say Nana Patekar.

Q: How helpful or unhelpful did your television background prove in playing Zafar ?

A: It was more of a question of how not to play it like I'd play it on TV. I tried my best to keep in mind the difference while performing. And like I said earlier, Samina kept a check on every move that I made so that things have come out looking pretty okay I think.

Q: Did Inteha in your view have all the ingredients cinemagoers are use to seeing in our films? After all there were quite a few non-film-based names in its credit roll.

A: First of all, I don't believe thatt every film has to be made to suit the audience. The choice of an average viewer might be a given constant but the audience is far more fluid than we think. 'Dil Se' was flop in India but it did great business all over the world. That is the equation 'Inteha' was made with in mind.

Q: With in your view is the one ingredient a film needs to have in order to survive at the box-office ?

A: Good screenplay. And a story line that can keep you in its grip for three hours while you sit in a cramped theatre with little or no-airconditioning.

Q: Do you think Inteha has that kind of a gripping storyline ?

A: I think it does. And Samina has done a very good job with the direction.

Q: I've heard that Samina that Samina is very demanding director who gave you guys a very hard time. Like Zeeshan was telling me about the fight scene in which she made the two of you throw real punches at each other. And you were repeatedly sprayed with water on a very cold night.

A: It was a tough scene to do all right. but all that had to be done in order to make the fight appear authentic. And not at any point did Samina force any of us to do anything. She made a few suggestions and it was the understanding that no one had to do anything they didn't feel comfortable doing.

Q: What about the time she made the stuntman jump through a glass door that had real glass in it.

A: We use real glass in all Pakistani films. And every stunt involves a certain amount of risk to perform. This particular stuntman was a little wet behind the ears and we used him only as a last option.

Q: But how would you justify Samina's remark subsequent to his injury when you rushed to help him. And I quote here, "Rehney do. yeh log to aadi hotaiy hain iss cheez kay" (let him be, these guys are used to all this.

A: That's absolutely not true. She never said any such thing. In fact she was sympathetic towards him. The guy had merely bruised himself and Mishi and I helped him with the bandage.

Q: Had you been the hero of the film who would you have wanted yourself be paired with ?

A: Resham. I find her far more attractive than Meera.

Q: Who do you think is a better performer though ?

A: If you really want to know, I have always found Resham's performance far superior to Meera's. But after having worked under Samina's direction I think Meera's ability to perform has improved considerably.

Q: And what about you. Did you have fun ?

A: Yes I did (smiles). I always enjoy my work.

Q: Does the idea of a real-life affair with Resham tickle your fancy ?

A: Yar, my wife doesn't give me a chance to have affairs. And I don't think she plans to change her mind anytime soon.

Q: What if she decides to look the other way just for this one time ?

A: Then I might go for it.

Q: With Resham ?

A: With Manish Koirala. I met her recently in America. Juhi Chawla's cousin who's worked with me in this TV serial introduced us. Apparently she'd watched one of my long plays and thought I had done a good job.

Q: So you had a fling with her ?

A: Yeah!

Q: A fling, as in a romantic liaison ?

A: No not that.

Q: But you just said that you had a fling with her.

A: That was a slip of the toungue. Listen my wife knows thet I am absolutely faithful to her so don't try to get me into trouble here.

Q: What your wife doesn't know is that you have been ogling at Meera throughout the shoot here. In fact I can bet that you are feeling a little jealous of Zeeshan right now, since he's the one in the car with Meera ?

A: Yar, I've worked with Meera in the film for almost two years. In some of the shots that we took I was closer to her than Zeeshan can ever get in that car so sorry to disappoint you but no I don't feel jeolous of him. And let's just say that when I'm with my wife other woman take a backseat in my life.