Hussain Talkies.. (Intv)

Hussain Kuwajerwala- one of the busiest actors on the soapbox is successfully juggling a commendable and highly appreciated career on television. Catch him throw light on the various aspects and needs of the prized television industry today, his desire to break out of the 'Sumit' mould, his fascinating experience as a co-anchor on Indian Idol 3 and more in an exclusive two part interview with Media Curry.

1 Why didn't you take modeling seriously?

I started my career as a model and took modeling seriously. But once I started doing television I could not devote much of the time to modeling. Definitely modeling offers you more money but it is very unstable. All of a sudden in one month you may get many ads and the next month you may just have a couple. Television is more stable then modeling. You grow much more as an actor than a model.

2 The Television Industry has boomed in the last few years, where do you see this industry in the next 10 years?

It has gone a long way in the past five years from where I remember. It all started with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and KBC, those were the milestones which totally took over the television industry. It has become a huge medium today and by now I guess everybody has realized the power of television. I guess everybody knows the reason behind that as well. The Television industry though has to still grow further and become bigger. Because the viewer ship it generates today also is very limited. If we compare it to the total population, our viewer ship is still very low. There are lots of viewers who are not watching us and one has to reach to them also. I feel it is going to grow further as there are more and more channels coming in. Viewers are going to get more choices as to what to watch where. Like the current confusion in the News Channels, as there are so many of them. One is confused as to which one to watch. There is more scope for business and there is more money getting invested in this industry, there's more scope for growth. It is providing one payment and two employments. It is looking after many homes. So I definitely feel that Television industry has a great future

3 You are one of the busiest actors in the Television Industry today, how do you balance your personal and professional life?

Well you have to manage it. If you want a personal life you can have it. You got to takeout some time from your professional life which is rather difficult. But if you put your mind and body into it and if you want time for yourself them you can get ways out without harming your professional life too much. It is just how you manipulate and get that required time for yourself. I mean there are phases when I can't find time for my personal life but I've known that I have to work my best and finish it on time so that I will be able to get enough time for my personal life as well. It is just the balance you need to create. At times there are demands of the profession and you need to fulfill them. And at times you have personal life and when it comes to that you need to be fair to both the sides by creating a balance between the two of them.

4 What is the difference between acting and anchoring?

There is a lot of difference between acting and anchoring. It is not very difficult to say what the difference is between acting and anchoring, it is like sorting the difference between black and white. The difference for me is that in anchoring you have to be on your toes all the time, being much more alert all the time. For me anchoring is a little more hard work then acting. If I compare it with enacting the role of Sumit that I am currently playing, I find anchoring more difficult. I get more tired doing anchoring. But when I am portraying Sumit I don't really tire that much, probably because I have been doing it for five years now.

5 Do you feel that the show Kumkum should be made a prime time show in the evening instead of afternoon?

It was always an afternoon show. It is a prime time show but in the afternoon slot. And I feel we have made our place very well as a Prime time afternoon show. So I am happy with Kumkum being in the afternoon.

6 Apart from acting what excites you the most?

Sports. I love playing sports whenever I get time. I love being a sports man, irrespective of whether I'm good or bad at any sport. I love cricket.

7 Do you play cricket?

No I don't. The only thing I can do is watch a lot of cricket, as I love to watch it. The thing is that I never get time to do that but I would want to do that in the near future, whenever I get time. There are only two things that I love. One of them is dancing, I love dancing. My profession fulfills this hobby well. Playing sports is the one wish I am not able to fulfill.

8 Tell us about your current projects?

I am currently working on three projects. Kumkum, Shabash India and Indian Idol III.

9 How was your experience working for Indian Idol III?

It has been a wonderful experience working for Indian Idol III. I have traveled allover the country. We have traveled to Dubai, London and tried to get the best talent. It is the confidence that I am totally taken by. I mean the confidence that I have seen during the auditions is amazing. Every time I would ask some boby, Why do you want to be an Indian Idol? The answerers I got were like, "Its all in me, its written on my face my body and every where that I am the next Indian Idol". I am totally amazed by the confidence that they have. If I would be in their place, I would be like last on the line (laughs). There is a lot of talent in India, even the small villages are filled with talent. The people from small towns are now getting this kind of a platform to show their talent and be successful. This is what I like about not only Indian Idol but all the reality shows. Mumbai has a lot of exposure and so people know about a lot of things but the smaller towns don't have that kind of exposure. But there is immense talent everywhere and I think everybody just needs to be nurtured a little bit and once given the right opportunity they will definitely be able to do wonders.

10 Are we going to see you in a new Avatar in any of your new projects?

I try to be as new as possible as long as people accept me. As it has become difficult for me do away with the image of Sumit that I am carrying. I want to experiment with myself and my audiences as well whether they want to accept me or not.

11 If you would be granted a wish to change one thing in the world, what would it be?

I would like to want people to smile all the time. Sadness should be removed. Every person and every soul on this earth should be happy. That's the change that I would like to make if I could.

12 You have essayed a variety of roles, which character describes Hussain more closely?

There is a little of Sumit as I am a very homely person. A little of Arjun from Krishna Arjun . Not that I want a gun in my hand but the kind of power he has. That's what Hussain is like- the homely guy Sumit with the powerful detective and chicky part of Arjun!