Salman sketches Aseem Merchant

Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS) Actor Aseem Merchant, who's shooting in Hyderabad for producer Boney Kapoor's yet untitled action film, got the surprise of his life from his co-star Salman Khan.

'He made a sketch of me. It's so beautiful, so life-like and professional, I feel Salman can shape into one of our best artists,' Aseem told IANS.

The shooting of the Prabhu Deva-directed film is nearly over. 'In the night we would get together for drinking sessions. So it was on Monday night. We sat together at 9 p.m. and went on till 2 a.m. It took Salman a good two hours to make my sketch. At the end of it I feel I'm the richest man in the world.'

Aseem intends to frame the sketch in his room. 'I don't know how many others have this gift from Salman. But I certainly feel privileged.'

Salman and Aseem play the main antagonists in the film.

'The film is about modern gangs. Salman plays an undercover cop while I play a gangster. So during most of the day we're fighting each other on camera.

Aseem whose career has been in a limbo for many years is suddenly doing quality work.

'Besides this film where I'm the main villain I play the lead in Sisir Mishra's Bengali film 'Aseema'.'

No fears of going from ultra-noble in 'Aseema' to ultra-evil in Boney's film?

'These demarcations exist only in our minds. The audience readily accepts an actor in negative and positive roles.'