Article: 'I'm not the hero of Bhaskar Bharati'

Eijaz Khan speaks on his Tollywood dreams, TV shows and his love life...

Eijaz Khan

So, what brings you to Hyderabad?
Well, I have a lot of relatives here. And my sister is settled here too. But I've taken this trip as an opportunity to meet a few producers in the Telugu film industry. A lot of Telugu movies are being remade in Hindi, and I can see myself being part of them. As of now, I'm just meeting people and nothing is final as yet. So I can't talk much about it.

You have no issues working in regional cinema?
Not at all. And why would I be? I'm a Hyderabad boy and I'll be glad to work in Telugu movies. Not just that, some of the best scripts and films are produced in South India. Everybody would agree with me when I say that the South Indian film industry is very superior when it comes to the technical aspects and professionalism. It would be a privileged to be part of south Indian cinema. Plus, language has never been a barrier for me. That's the challenge for an actor — to be convincing in the role you play or language you speak. I have also done a Bengali film and I'm sure I'll pick up any language.

Has Rajeev Khandelwal's success in films inspired you?
Well, there was a time when producers would think that no one would pay to see a TV actor on the big screen. But that has totally changed. There are so many young directors who write wonderful scripts. It's also an exciting time in Indian cinema where the success of a film does not depend on the budget. It's the script that's the decidisng factor. I've done Bhaanvra, a film by Dharmesh Darshan. All the lead characters are television stars. If Dharmesh didn't have faith in us, he wouldn't have signed us at all. As for Rajeev, I'm happy for him. I've known him because we did a few episodes of Kahiin Toh Hogaa together and he is really dedicated.

You were one of the busiest stars of Indian television. Why did you give it all up to move to an unknown territory?
There have been many people who discouraged me from doing so. But we live just one life, so why stick to something forever? I was getting a lot of offers to do films and I took it up. For two and a half years I was busy shooting for my movies, after that I found time and did a few guest appearances in shows here and there. People thought that because my films didn't work I was making a comeback to TV. But that's not the truth. I'm a greedy person. I take up work because I want to learn more.

Is that the reason why you took up Bhaskar Bharati?
Let me clear this once and for all. My role in Bhaskar Bharati is just a guest appearance. I'm not the hero of the show. A few people in the production house are my friends and they approached me to do this role. It's the first time something like this has been attempted on Indian television and I found the concept fun, hence I accepted. The production house was or rather is, still using some of my shots till the time the show is established. But I'm fine with it. I couldn't clear the air earlier because that would have been like letting the cat out of the bag.

Heard you are tying the knot with Anita Hassanandani soon?
Really? Well, that's news to me too. My grandfather has been constantly asking me when will I be tying the knot. But honestly right now I have no such plans. Marriage and kids are a totally different commitment altogether.

Why don't you ever come out in the open about your lady love?
n People in showbiz live under a microscope. Earlier I had no qualms about accepting anything. But later I realised that for a person in showbiz, there is a thin line between a public and private life. Once you bring your private life in the open, there is no chance of reclaiming it. It erodes the sanctity of the relationship and I don't want that to happen. I have learnt the hard way.

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