What's wrong with playing gay, asks Samir Soni

Mumbai, Jan 12 (IANS) Model-turned-actor Samir Soni, who started his film career as Mamta Kulkarni's leading man in 'China Gate', has been zeroed in on to play a gay designer in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Fashion'.

And the actor, for whom it has been a troubled and long journey, is pretty excited about the part. 'I've finally wstangled a role that has got my creative juices running again,' Samir told IANS.

'When I heard the role I knew I immediately wanted to do it. And so what if he's gay? It's about time we as a country and in the entertainment business stopped looking at homosexuality as a peculiarity. I was a model, so I know a lot of gays. My character in 'Fashion' being gay is not the issue,' Samir told IANS.

'Some directors make the mistake of making a character's homosexuality his identity badge. Madhur is a director who handles all his characters with finesse and sensitivity. I'm positive he'll make sure the gay community accept my character wholeheartedly,' he added.

It's been a long and tiring search for Bhandarkar to find one of the principal male leads to play a gay dress designer. After Harsh Chhaya, he has zeroed on Samir Soni.

Sharing his experience, Bhandarkar said: 'It wasn't an aggressive in-your-face kind of homosexual character. I needed someone tall, fair, handsome, suave and outwardly a ladies' man. The hunt was killing me because I start shooting with this character in just a few days. But now I've found my actor.

'Samir Soni fits the bill completely. He's sensitive and yet not delicate, soft-spoken but not effeminate. I needed that.'

Samir says he has several very close gay friends.

'So the lack of time to prepare for the part - we start shooting next week - doesn't bother me. I know the community from up close. I've often discussed the question of sexual orientation with my gay friends, how it affects their personality and their day-to-day dealings with people.

'What fascinates me is the closeted existence of the gay who doesn't or can't come out in the open. The torment of keeping the secret is just so gut-wrenching. Yeah, I'm looking forward to playing the gay as a grey, dark character.'

Samir has only one other film, Sanjay Gupta's 'Alibaug', in hand.

'Yes, I've done less work. And I'm not going to pretend it's because I chose to do so. I also did television for the lack of choice. But let's not undermine the reach of the home medium. The roles have been hard to come by. Maybe I wasn't pushy enough. Maybe I wasn't good enough,' Samir chuckled self-dismissively.

The thought of sharing screen space in 'Fashion' with so many seasoned troupers doesn't intimidate this soft-spoken actor.

'I had 11 actors, many of them stalwarts like Amrish Puriji, Om Puriji and Naseeruddin Shahji in my very first film. In Rajkumar Santoshiji's 'Lajja', I was paired with Madhuri Dixit. Now in 'Alibaug', I'm again in an ensemble cast.

'I'm not at all scared of sharing screen space with other actors in 'Fashion'. Whether I'm alone in a 30-second ad or with 12 other actors in a big film like 'Fashion', I do my best. The rest I leave to destiny.'