Angad and Kripa in Deal Ya No Deal

Iqbal Khan couldn't have hoped for a better 26th birthday. His parents have joined him in the city from Kashmir, and girlfriend Sneha has organised a small celebration for him.

On a treadmill

"But time has become my biggest enemy. Though work-wise, this is the happiest birthday I could've hoped for, I wish I could spend more time with my parents and Sneha.

But my birthday will start with the recording of the Valentine's Day special of Deal Ya No Deal, with my Kaisa Yeh Pyarr Hai co-star, Neha Bamb. Then, at night, I have to shoot for my serial. Before I start, I'll have just an hour to rush to Sneha's home to cut the cake."

Valentine pairing

On Deal Ya No Deal, Iqbal and Neha will be followed by the Ek Ladki Anjaani Si pair of Shakti Singh and Kanchi Kaul, for a special Valentine pow-wow, to be telecast on February 15 and 16.

Wouldn't Iqbal prefer to be with his girlfriend on the show? "Sony wanted Angad and Kripa on the show. I know there's the danger of audiences seeing us as a real-life pair, but I make sure I talk about my girlfriend Sneha at every public performance. I'll do so on Deal Ya No Deal, too." .... the whole world knows about his lovey dovey life.... what else he wants to share now



What about marriage? "I need to get us a house first… and some time to spend with the people I live with. One reason I'm working through my birthday is because I want to be free when my sister comes to Mumbai on February 12. My parents, who are here, can't take the Mumbai climate.

They'll be going back home soon, and I haven't found time to spend with them. Hopefully, my career will be more streamlined this year."

Not typecast

Iqbal is delighted by the response his stint on Ekta Kapoor's Kaisa Yeh Pyarr Hai got him. "People have stopped calling me Angad and started calling me Mamu, the comic character I played in Kaise Yeh Pyarr Hai.

This means audiences haven't typecast me as one character; Iqbal Khan is still alive in their memory." Laughs the actor, "Last year, Ekta Kapoor gifted me with Kaisa Yeh Pyarr Hai for my birthday. Let's see what she has in store this time."