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"My Most Romantic Fantasy Is To Make Love In Nipping Cold"

When you talk about the hottest young guys in the television industry, you can't help thinking about Gaurav Chopraa, the brazen, brash and bindaas actor has no qualms about being a sex symbol; in fact, he doesn't even mind being called a Casanova. In an explosive encounter with Showtime, he talks about his craziest fantasies, one-night-stands and moony dates.

ST: Insecurities among actors have become the order-of-the day. How do you handle the pressure?

GC: Unlike most other professions, acting is one area where you have to sell yourself. For us actors, it is a very precarious situation. Everything from your looks to performances is under strict scrutiny and you are insecure about the acceptance by everyone, from your co-actors to the audience. It just depends on how you tackle it.

ST: Throw some light on the casting couch and what has been your observation over these years? Now, one hears that even guys are becoming all the more vulnerable. Is that the reason you are staying off films?

GC: To be honest, the casting couch exists. In films, it is a bigger gamble because you play a bigger game and the money and stakes riding are high. While on the small screen, it is not as big. Each one to his own! If somebody wants to go through it, there is nothing wrong with it. However, nobody should be compelled to do it.

ST: Would you sleep with someone for a role?

GC: I come across as a reassured person, so nobody has actually offered me to sleep in clear-cut terms. But indirectly, people have made propositions and offered me to sleep for roles. Just last night, I sat through this "narration" and the conversation was about everything except work. So you know what I mean.

ST: When was the last time someone made a pass at you?

GC: If somebody is making a pass in a pleasant manner, then I feel flattered. It blossoms into a good conversation and maybe into something more creative and romantic. In such a case, one tends to get flirty and jovial. But if "sleep with me" is the only agenda, then I am not okay with it. I am a very good flirt myself and flirting, I feel, is an art, which comes naturally to me.

ST: What would you do if a guy made a pass at you?

GC: If a guy makes a pass at me, I would respond normally. I am a heterosexual but I would not snub the guy. I would make him realize that you are hitting on the wrong man. It happened with me during my fashion designing stint at NIFT in Delhi. One guy seriously proposed to me even though I had a girlfriend. I turned down the proposal and told him that he was making a mistake.

ST: Have you ever used your machismo as a tool or as a source of power over anyone to get a plum and meaty role?

GC: I think the best way to use my sex appeal would be to use it in a camouflaged or disguised way. It's like showing a carrot to a donkey and not letting him eat it (laughs).

ST: What's your wildest fantasy?

GC: Mostly people like to fantasize about making love on a sun-kissed beach. But I am an out-of-the-box person. My most romantic fantasy is to make love in nipping cold. I think making love in snow would be really sexy. I have a fantasy of making love inside an igloo and see the snow melting by the unfolding of the raw passion.

ST: Does the issue of women's sexual liberation bother you?

GC: Not really. But I feel that everything has its pros and cons. With more freedom, women tend to get confused – whether to be an ideal wife and mother or to be an entrepreneur. They wonder as to how much to grow and break free! That's because there is an intrinsic instinct in all women to be an ideal wife. But I feel that there should be a balance between one's ambitions and other priorities in life. For instance, you could be a superstar outside, but where's the glory if your family life is all screwed up? It applies to both men and women.

ST: Actors are perceived to be Casanovas by nature. How do you react to such perceptions?

GC: If somebody calls me a Casanova, I would say thank you! It makes me feel even more desirable. Girls get all the more curious about Casanovas. They want to fathom out that X-factor that makes a guy so sought-after among girls. Girls want to discover that certain charm that makes the guy so desired by other women. If you ask a girl about her favorite actor, she might say "Hrithik Roshan." However, if many of her friends feel that Abhishek Bachchan is hotter, then after a lot of mulling over the issue, she is very likely to change her mind. I would call it community crush. I have observed that Casanovas are more in demand and get more work than the boring guys. I have personally experienced that curiosity. That element of mystery about a man attracts them like moths to a flame. And that's the reason why I choose to be mysterious.

ST: How do you see your future with Narayani? Is marriage on the cards or is it just a fling?

GC: Marriage is definitely not on the cards. I don't think marriage should happen just because you are into a relationship. The desire to tie a knot should take birth from within. There has to be a feeling of settling down and there has to be commitment. I feel that marriage is a serious institution and people need to work towards it. It should last for a lifetime. There has to be a super-exuberant feeling to get married and a desire to proudly announce to the world that "I want to get married" and I don't see that happening in my case.

ST: What do you think about an open marriage?

GC: Infidelity in case of men and women is different. If a man wants to sleep around, he can do it in a casual way. A man can have a one-off sexual encounter, come back to his girlfriend and love her as much. A man needs to value the relationship and treasure the partner. Otherwise if you've had a relationship, which is five-year-old, even a single sexual encounter can ruin it completely. Unlike a man, a woman would only commit adultery if she were terribly unhappy with her partner.

ST: Do you see yourself being in a purely physical relationship?

GC: Yeah, I do see myself completely in a physical relationship. In fact, I have been into many such relationships, which have been only physical. At times, they have started on a physical note and ended on an emotional note.

ST: They say men always have sex on their minds. You agree?

GC: I guess men are expected to have sex on their minds. But I don't think it is humanly possible to think about sex all the time. But as compared to women, men are prone to think more about sex.

ST: Does being sought after by women excite you?

GC: No, it doesn't. I only get excited when they actually come and shower their affection on me. I am keen to observe their interest in me.

ST: You've often been proclaimed as a gay icon. Do you mind it?

GC: I don't mind being a gay icon at all. It is the same thing. As an actor and a public figure, you like to get appreciated, and both heterosexuals and homosexuals comprise our audience.

ST: How far would you go on a first date?

GC: To be honest, I'd go as far as I can go. My first date was quite random when I was in school, and a girl asked me out for an ice cream after the class. We had ice cream and walked for some time. I used to be pretty boring as a kid and never bunked classes.

ST: You think we attach too much importance to issues like pre-marital sex and virginity of a woman while men are considered macho when they sleep around?

GC: These issues are discussed endlessly but actually they have no relevance. How can you judge somebody's character when you've been into a million relationships yourself? But it is important to have faith in your partner.

ST: Do you think men like women who are dominating in bed or would it hurt their male egos?

GC: It works in a contrasting way. I think both the partners should compliment each other in bed. It should be a two-way thing. I feel physicality is a two-way process and both partners should go as far as they want. It should be equally passionate for both the partners.

ST: Would you take back a woman who has strayed in a relationship, if she regretted it later?

GC: It depends on the circumstances in which she's strayed. If you understand the person well, there is a ray of hope and then it can work. But it will leave a scar in the memory.

ST: They say that the world moves ahead on money and sex. Do you believe in that?

GC: That's the glam quotient. Cars, gadgets, suits, houses, the game of acquiring everything and the game of looking the best makes people run. But actually, real happiness lies somewhere else.

ST: The female nude form is considered to be a work of art, while male nudes are referred to as disgusting. Comment.

GC: I have been a fashion student and have seen that even male nudes are admired. I think people are indirectly referring to the male reproductive zone, which is more graphically visible as compared to a female nude. That visibility leads to discomfort.

ST: Which part of the female anatomy turns you on?

GC: I won't give a clichd answer like eyes or hair. I think I find the neck, shoulder and the area below the ear simply alluring. A woman's hands and feet are a big turn-on for me.

Break-
"People have made propositions and asked me to sleep with them for roles. Just last night, I sat through this "narration" and the conversation was about everything except work"

"I do see myself completely in a physical relationship. In fact, I have been into many such relationships, which have been only physical. At times, they have started on a physical note and ended on an emotional note"

"I feel that marriage is a serious institution and people need to work towards it. There has to be a super-exuberant feeling to get married and I don't see that happening in my case"

"If a man wants to sleep around, he can do it in a casual way. A man can have a one-off sexual encounter, come back to his girlfriend and love her as much