Quick Tip : Any time you happen to meet Fawad Khan, bear in mind that he is even more gorgeous in person. Even we didn’t think it was possible!
Making his big Bollywood debut with Khoobsurat opposite the diva Sonam Kapoor, Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is the latest to join the eye candy bandwagon. The dishy dude is currently busy promoting his film that is slated for a September 19 release. Recently we managed to chat him up about his upcoming film, criticism from Pakistan, Sonam Kapoor and more…
Here are excerpts from the interview :
Team MissMalini (MM) : Presumably, film promotions back home in Pakistan are not as mad as they’re here in Bollywood. You must have given 300 interview today itself! How are you dealing with that?
Fawad Khan : That’s not entirely true actually. In Pakistan too the promotion time gets a little insane. I know right now a lot of people must be going “yahan toh nahi karta thha Fawad, wahan jaake kar raha hai dekho!” (laughs). To be honest, I am not a very talkative person so for me it’s almost been a conscious decision to stay away (from the promotions) back home. But here, this is the norm… this aggressive promotion. It can’t be avoided. It’s been crazy! You’re wrong about the 300 interviews in a day though, utne toh maine lunch ke pehle de diya thhe…
Team MM : At what point were you roped in for Khoobsurat? Was that before or after Zindagi TV came to India and you became so immensely popular, especially with the ladies?
FW : I think officially I got on board sometime in May last year. Because of YouTube, I think I had an adequately decent introduction to the audience, so to speak. In the middle east, one of my shows was picked up by a channel and translated for viewing. That I did not expect; like I didn’t expect this scale of appreciation in India! It’s great how people have responded. I’m told the casting directer had seen some of my work so that was kept in close consideration, I believe.
Team MM : So in the promos as well as the songs, there is evidently more Sonam Kapoor and less you. Did you ever fear being left out?
FW : Never. Because back home as well, the general content is more “women-oriented”. And I anyway think that it is easier to feed off the lead, as a second lead, you know?
Team MM : Okay. But in the future, would you be willing to do a full blown ‘hero’ role with action and dancing and the works?
FW : See, dancing is a bit of a rocket science I am yet to learn. Haha. But I will soon. It’s like picking up a new language and I know I will. To answer to your question, there are a few male centric material I am actually close to finalizing soon. I would like to try anything and everything. I don’t get intimidated by content. For me it’s most important to find a synergy with the people I’m working. Then I can make even 5 minutes of screen time leave an impact. Look at a great actor like Marlon Brando who made a 10 minute appearance in Apocalypse Now and drew all the attention to himself!
Team MM : You already have such a flourishing acting career in Pakistan, was this move to Bollywood a conscious decision?
FW : No it wasn’t. It’s like if tomorrow I get to do a Hollywood film, it won’t be pre-planned but it will just be a great thing. As as actor, I would love to go around the world and work with all kinds of people! Tomorrow if I am offered a small film that some Nigerian filmmaker is making in some part of the world, based on the content, I would do it! Travelling in itself is such a great exposure and I’d do it for the experience.
Team MM : How do you approach your work in Bollywood? Like, would you have a problem giving a screen test for a role tomorrow since you already have a body of work to show?
FW : The same way I approach work back home. The first day for me is just as nervous, I put in just as much effort in my work. Now in Pakistan, the scale is a little smaller in comparison. Here the trend is only to meet for readings pre production. And I feel screen tests and look tests are important in character based roles. I did tests for Khuda Kay Liye... I don’t have an attitude about it.
Team MM : So your Khoobsurat is supposed to based on Rekha’s Khoobsurat but from the promos, it looks very Princess Diaries. Which one is it?
FW : I’m not going to tell you that! (grins)
I can tell you that it is very different from both the films actually. It’s a Disney fairytale and ends with the bigger moral that one shouldn’t change for others. It’s uncomplicated and we are sure it’ll connect with the audience.
Team MM : Who, except for Sonam, did you have most fun shooting with?
FW : Ratna Pathak Shah! And Yashwant! I had a great time shooting with everyone actually. There’s so much to learn from all of them.
Team MM : There has been criticism from fans in Pakistan towards you calling you a Bollywood convert. How would you react to that?
FW : Actually, the response has been pretty positive so far. There’s a lot of morale boosting from back home. As for the haters, I don’t let such negativity affect me.
Team MM : Would you be open to doing Indian television?
FW : For me it’s in the approach. I will never have qualms about working on the small screen because it will always be the origins of my birth. There may be really intelligent content here, but I think it lacks a little perspective in presentation. I would love to participate in something that takes it to the next level… like a mentality of a film in the mechanism of television.
Team MM : Have you had Bollywood influences in your life in terms of films you’ve loved?
FW : I love Angoor! What a great film! The old Golmaal. Even the Dabbangs and Singhams I feel have their own charm. I remember when Om Shanti Om came out, I was blown away with the entertainment value.
Team MM : Finally, what do you think makes a person Khoobsurat, no matter what?
FW : Logic and rationale.
Do you agree with Fawad on what makes a person Khoobsurat? Let us know in comments below!