‘II 2’ is bigger and better: Aman Verma

'Indian Idol 2' is bigger and better: Aman Verma
Rachna Kanwar

Source: TOI

One of the very first superstars of Indian television, Aman Verma, rose to dizzying heights of popularity with the 'K' series soaps and game shows - 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi', 'Kehta Hai Dil', 'Khul Ja Sim Sim' and 'Indian Idol'. Then came the rude shock of a 'sting operation' by a news channel that turned his world upside down. Aman has buried this ugly episode from his past and is on a high once again as far as his career is concerned. He talks to Rachna Kanwar about his current projects, his style of acting and the lure of the big screen.

You have been very low-key in the past few months, what's happening?
Well, for the last couple of months I was hosting a show called 'Dial Karo aur Jeeto' on Sahara.

Apart from that we didn't see you at all...
I was waiting for the 'Indian Idol' second phase to come back and there is another project for Star Plus called 'Virasat' that I am doing for Mr. Ravi Chopra's production company. So the 'Indian Idol' started a week back and 'Virasat' should be on air in the month of February.

Now you are back with 'Indian Idol 2', do you think it can recreate the same kind of magic that it did in its first season?
Well, I hope so, the concept is same, the people are same, the judges are same and the hosts are same as well. We are trying to pick up the best talent from all over India. So I hope we are able to do that as we have all worked hard towards it. Our fingers are crossed and all of us have put in our best. All of us do have this feeling that the show is going to be much bigger and larger than what it was last year.

You haven't really been able to break into the big league in the film industry; do you feel that big TV stars can never break into the big league in films?
I have seen that most of the film people have a kind of a block against television actors and this is something we have to work hard at. But television is so well paying today, it gives you so much of exposure and so much popularity so why would a television actor leave the work that's coming to him and give up everything for something that he doesn't know whether he'll be able to achieve or not.
But people are still doing it, is it the lure of the big screen?
Absolutely, the lure of the big screen is there. Everybody comes to Mumbai to become a film actor, but everybody does not manage to achieve that. Then you work around it. I am getting there. I have a couple of projects which I have been working on in the last couple of days, weeks and months. It takes time...

Isn't TV enough to satisfy you as an actor...as a star?
As far as performances are concerned, definitely it is. We have enough work, enough performances that keep us satisfied, but there is always this thing about being this huge, big film actor everybody dreams of becoming one day. Everybody says that television is more like a daily paper and film is going to be part of history, so everybody wants to be a part of history.

You have often been accused of copying Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar. How do you react to it?
I have learnt everything from them. I wouldn't say I copy them but I have learnt whatever I know today from them. If you see most of the other actors and I am not trying to explain anything but everybody looks up to somebody to learn from. These (Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan) are people, when I was growing up as a young boy to a teenager and from a teenager to a man, whose films I watched again and again. So I suppose subconsciously when you are doing a scene you start connecting with the actor that you look up to as to how will that particular man or actor do that scene. I am a great fan of Al Pacino. I try to pick up the best of these people. I am a great fan of Nana Patekar. I love Naseeruddin Shah, he is the most natural actor. I love Anthony Quinn, love Clint Eastwood. I love Sylvestor Stallone for the man he's turned out to be today. Arnold Schwarzenegger - he is not even an actor but he is the biggest star. So it's not just your acting capabilities, it's a combination of a lot of things. You need to pick up things from various people.

There has also been criticism that you have an attitude problem?
What!!! I have an attitude problem! Is that so? I don't know I need to first know what does it mean then I'll be able to give you a better answer.

We haven't seen you in any ads of late...
Well, every model has a particular time when he does ads and I did that for 3-4 years of my life and I was there in every second commercial. I suppose this is the time for me to just NOT do ads. One of the reasons is that they are also not coming to me at this point. So maybe once I'm ready for it again after sometime I'll do them.

What are the current projects that you are working on?
The 'Indian Idol' phase 2 is on and there is 'Virasat' on Star Plus in February. I can't talk about my role in the show right now. Apart from this there is nothing else on TV right now.