Will Shiny be Rituparno's Bhootnath

"Yes, Rituparno Ghosh has spoken to me, though we haven't met," Shiny told IANS.

Ghosh is keen to have Shiny play Bhootnath - essayed in the original by Guru Dutt - but the actor is non-committal.

"Yes, Ritu has shown interest in casting me as Bhootnath. And I've worked with the same producer Pritish Nandy in my first film 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi'. It'd be a pleasure to do a classic so early in my career," he added.

Shiny's career is "Rocking". That's the title of the film he has signed opposite Sushmita Sen that Tanuja Chandra will direct and Anurradha Prasad will produce.

He has already worked with one female director Ruchi Narain in "Kal" and is set to be Chandra's hero in "Rocking".

"It is the story of a relationship between a rock star played by Sushmita and a doctor, that's me. And contrary to the title, 'Rocking' doesn't refer to Sushmita," he's quick to add, for the fear of being branded a supporting actor in a ladies' movie.

In fact, Shiny is currently in Seoul shooting for Anurag Basu's "Gangster" that revolves around him and Emran Hashmi.

"I play the title role in 'Gangster'. This is Anurag Basu's pet project, the one he has been working on for a year. Yes, Sanjay Dutt was considered. I'm flattered to have been chosen for an out-and-out action film where I play the title role."

Shiny has been doing yoga to master the art of patient perseverance. "I'll have to hang on cable wires for minutes. That requires a lot of willpower. Yoga will help me do that."

Shiny sees it as his chance for fame, glamour and mainstream stardom. "Of course, I want all of that. Who doesn't? I'm working towards it."

So happy is Anurag Basu with his hero that he has already decided to work with him in a film called "Metro", loosely based on the Meryl Streep-Robert de Niro romance "Falling In Love".

"I don't know if that's the source," shrugs Shiny. "But, yes, it's about two married people who fall in love on the metro."

The actor seems to have become quite a favourite with the Bhatts. After the Bhatt production "Gangster", Shiny will do another film for Mukesh Bhatt.

"I feel I'm cruising down the runway. My career is about to take off." After returning from Seoul, Shiny says he leaves for Los Angeles to negotiate a Hollywood project.

"It's an Italian American filmmaker whose cinema is on the lines of what Martin Scorsese makes. I think he saw 'Hazaar Khwaishein..." and wants me for his film."

Copyright 2005 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com