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Neil Nitin Mukesh talks about his co-star and their upcoming movie 'Aa Dekhen Zara'
www.masala.comPolite, effervescent and a thorough gentleman. Neil Nitin Mukesh's off-screen persona is a complete antithesis of his on screen image of a brooding Machiavellian schemer in his debut film.
What's surprising is the ease with which he pulled the feat convincingly in 'Johnny Gaddaar' despite having a chocolate hero look.
Even his second film, the soon-to-release 'Aa Dekhen Zara', which is a sci-fi thriller with Bipasha Basu, has him playing a tough guy.
Neil flashes that enchanting half-smile. "Yeah, you are right. Even Bips told me that. When we were shooting the title number, after the very first line got over, 'Aa Dekhen…', she turned to me and said 'Neil you look so very different. How polite and calm you look in real, but when you're doing the tough scenes you look the toughest'. I was happy about her comment as she really meant it. I have the blessings of the almighty, I must say. I'm a child at heart actually," says Neil face aglow recalling the compliment.
Acting with such a hot actress like Bipasha Basu, and getting such nice comments from her, did Neil never get attracted to her? "While shooting I was so involved with the character I was doing that at one point of time I did wish that Bipasha was my real girlfriend," chuckles Neil.
And that means he would've had no qualms doing those steamy scenes with Bips in the movie, we ask. "Well, I was very comfortable doing the hot scenes with Bipasha. It is our job to perform our role well," is his clipped reply.
The comfort level could also be because Bips is a very good friend of Neil, and so are the film's director and producer, Jehangir Surti and Vicky Rajani respectively.
"Yes, we are friends and that's how this project got conceptualised. I know Jehangir from the time we were kids. He always wanted to do a film together. And here we are all set to bang the theatres soon," says the actor who has also taken a liking to photography thanks to his role of a photo journalist in the film.
"I learnt quite a few techniques and finer details of photography as I prepared for my role. It is always good to be learning in the bargain," Neil smiles.
Well, the path seems strewn with more smiles as the association with his friends is proving to be more than beneficial for the one-film-old actor. For he will not only be seen as the lead actor, but is also being heard in the title track of 'Aa Dekhen Zara' that he has sung for in the film.
Neil says that he likes to get totally involved in his projects and this song happened by chance. "Actually it just happened all of a sudden," explains Neil when we rib him about his 'high level of involvement' that fetched him a song.
"I wanted the number in true R.D. Burman style and I was simply humming the original song when Vicky and Jehangir heard it. And they liked it so much that they coaxed me into singing. I then made my dad (Nitin Mukesh) hear the tune and he gave me the green signal," he adds.
Music of course runs in his genes given the family of singers he comes from.
"I haven't seen my grandfather (Mukesh), but I respect him a lot. If he were alive he would have been the happiest person on earth to see me at this stage today. In fact, I'm dedicating this song to my grandparents," says he.
While it was Motilal, a popular actor of his times, who mentored Mukesh, Neil gives all the credit of his success to his father, Nitin. "My father is my mentor. Hence I use his full name in my name as a mark of gratitude. I can never forget how he has brought us up. He wanted to become a director, but he could not fulfil his wish. Though I'm sure he will be able to fulfil his wish sometime in the near future," he hopes.
Though Neil belongs to an illustrious family, life's not been a bed of roses for him. In fact it has been quite a struggle.
"I remember how my father used to sing on stage for a paltry sum to make both ends meet. And with that money he had to look after us and also get his sisters married. It was my neighbours who fed us. When I was just 13, I was summoned by my father who very softly told me 'Beta I cannot make you an actor. You will have to earn in order to support the family and yourself'. I was so touched by his words that I decided to work my way up. I joined Kunal Kohli as an assistant director for 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge' in 2001. It was in 2004 that my father presented me a Maruti Zen as he was always worried about my travelling in crowded trains. I'm grateful to the support my father extended me. Whatever has been possible is only because of him," says Neil, talking about his father's influence in his life.
Nevertheless, he agrees that being Mukesh's grandson did help him gain an easy access to the industry. "I was entertained by the bigwigs of the industry only because I was Mukesh's grandson," he says.
Talking about his first film, 'Johnny Gaddaar', Neil says that it was no cakewalk to make the film. "I still remember how we struggled to get our film 'Johnny Gaddaar' to the theatres. No one knows how even I have run from pillar to post to get the project completed. It took almost two years to finish the film as it got shelved for six months for want of finances. But if the script is strong then the film has to do well. 'Johnny Gaddaar' got a lot of critical acclaim.
"'Aa Dekhen Zara' too has an excellent script and should do well," says a confident Neil, who has a few more interesting projects up his sleeve like 'New York' that will also see him share screen space with John Abraham. When asked if he is not apprehensive of John hogging all the limelight, Neil's pretty chilled about it. "There is no competition between John Abraham and I. He will be doing his job I'll be doing mine. In fact, Bips, John and I are thick pals," he clarifies.
While Bipasha is already taken, there have been a lot of whispers about Neil dating a certain airhostess. While he agrees that the girl is not from the industry, he refuses to give any further details. "I don't think there's any need for me to talk more about her at the moment. She will be introduced to one and all at the right time. I do not know whether she is an airhostess or from which airlines. You people should find out," he sidesteps the query smartly.
'Johnny Gaddaar' got him a lot of appreciation and now 'Aa Dekhen Zara' is also looking a lot promising. So has Neil upped his fee just like Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapur and others?
"You must ask this to the producer. I am under contract with Vicky for three more projects. These films too will be directed by Jehangir. How can I disclose my price secrets?" he winks, even as he signs off.
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