Shabbir to act in films

Shabbir Ahluwalia

Shabbir to act in films

Ahluwalia s celluloid dreams come true with Shootout At Lokhandwala

Subhash K Jha

Shabbir Ahluwalia, popular for his role as Rishi in Kahiin To Hoga has decided to make a transition to films. I've signed Apoorva Lakhia's Shootout At Lokhandwala for producer Sanjay Gupta. We'll start shooting for it in August. It's my first film, and it's reality-based. I'm really excited, he says.

Isn't Shabbir afraid that his career on television will suffer because of his pursuit of celluloid? Not really. I already have a career on television. So I've nothing to lose. If my career in films takes off, as I hope it will, I will be able to sail on two boats without toppling over, he says.

He pauses and says, I have a lot of time to do things I love, like sleeping. I've been a sportsperson all my life. Some of my friends including (cricketer-turned-TV star) Salil Ankola and I have got together to form a celebrity sports club. And we have big plans for it.

Shabbir is also pursuing his dream of creating a sports institute. It's more than a dream. I've started working on it. I hope to make the sports institute a living reality, he says.

Unlike other TV stars who work on the home medium round the clock, Shabbir looks at TV acting as just one of his many interests. It is a major interest. I love acting. I love being on a soap that's watched so closely, he says.