Shobha De- The new Fangirl - Page 4

Falling for Fawad

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE IN LOVE WITH A VOICE?

I am seriously not the fangirl sort. Out of the many Bolly stars I have met and interviewed, I have wanted to be clicked with only three... men.

But since that day in July when Fawad Khan's baritone boomed on my phone for an interview on Khoobsurat, I have been wanting to meet this charmer. There's something about Fawad that strikes you the moment you see (or hear) him. He isn't conventionally good-looking " far from it " but there's a magnetism in his persona and voice that hooks you from the get-go. His intensity, his ability to speak well, the way he measures every word before he says them out loud, that (rare) smile that makes his eyes crinkle, the way he carries off a sharp suit... That he's also a good actor "Khoobsurat is worth a watch or two only because of him " just adds to the whole, er, package. Khoobsurat's Vikram Rathore is an extension of Fawad the person... the look in his eyes after he's kissed Sonam Kapoor's Mili for the first time makes every woman in the audience want to be the one in his arms. Is it possible to be in love with a voice? Yes, I still haven't deleted that recorded interview.

DAPPER IN SUITS, BUT BEST DISHEVELLED

Over the last few months, my colleagues have been going gaga over Fawad Khan, but I have been immune to his charm. This week, I had to be dragged bodily to watch Khoobsurat. When the film started, I was willing to make the concession that he had a rather nice baritone. Then I noticed that he looked quite dapper in the suits and bandhgalas. I think it was his dishevelled look, where he hurriedly pulls on that very plain tee, that got me, though. Since then, everything about him seemed to take on a deeper glow " his diction, his impeccable English, the beard and the I-wish-it-was-more-often dishevelled hair. By the time he went from "hum" to "Ab bas kar Manju," my new heart-throb was born. Where can I get more of this man? DVDs of his Pakistani serials anyone?

CHEST HAIR HASN'T LOOKED SEXIER?

Where do I start, and how do I stop? Fawaaad (I'm using the multiple A' for added effect) is the thing Pakistani men are made of. Watching him shirtless in that scene where Vikram first meets Mili is the best bit of Khoobsurat... chest hair has not looked sexier on anyone! I've never really done this whole fangirl thing before, but once I saw Fawad in Khoobsurat, I wanted to run up to the screen and jump right through " and cuddle on that shirtless chest! And then there's that diction. The lihaaz and tehzeeb... I just swooned when Vikram tells Mili: "Aap hamare taur-tareekey nahin samajh payengi."

A PERFECT BLEND OF THE MODERN MAN

Fawad Khan is the best thing to happen to Bollywood in recent times and a huge thank you to channel Zindagi for introducing him to us. Such was my obsession with him in Zindagi Gulzar Hai that halfway through its telecast, I YouTubed the entire season and then watched some of his other shows. I dug the whole of YouTube to find more of his work and ended up watching even the bloopers of his shows! Till I came across his telefilm Behadd, where he played a suave looker in love with a woman five years his senior. For me, Fawad is a perfect blend of the modern man " eyes that speak volumes, brooding looks and an enticing voice... enough for me to watch Khoobsurat on the first day of its release.

THE QUINTESSENTIAL DREAMY HERO

Khoobsurat's Vikram Rathore is the quintessential dreamy hero we grew up reading about and Disney couldn't have found a better actor to play its first desi prince. Fawad's coiffure, Fawad's jawline, Fawad's stubble, Fawad's physique, Fawad shirtless... I could go on and on about what I love about him. Fawad's nuanced performance is the reason you should buy a Khoobsurat ticket. The film is all Fawad, ladies, watch it only for him. And the gents too... you'll end up learning something good!