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Ekta Kapoor has cast the hunky star of her TV serial 'Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai', Iqbal Khan in 'Kkavyanjali' after bumping off the popular lead character Kkavya played by Eijaz Khan.
After Iqbal refused to age in her 'Kaisa...', she has even dropped the idea of a generation leap in the serial. The charismatic Khan somehow manages to have his way with women. The heartthrob of millions of serial viewing Indian women has no time to enjoy this adulation as he works for 16 hours every day. He talks to us about his work, his fans and his roots.
How does it feel to be the poster boy of TV?
I still don't believe it somehow. I have to pinch myself to believe it. It is a good feeling. Anybody will feel nice. I'll be lying if I say that 'Oh it is alright'. It feels great to be admired like that.
According to some reports, your fans are stalking you...
I think that is a package deal. In our profession it is pretty normal to have such fans too. As long as they don't attack you with guns and knives it is fine.
How has Ekta reacted to your refusal to age in her serial? She is pretty ok about it. We have dropped the generation leap and the graying part. Now we are taking a 4 year leap only.
You managed to have your way?
Yeah!(laughs)
Kkavyanjali TRPs are falling, is that why you have been introduced in the serial?
You can't get someone on the show thinking the TRPs will go high. Balaji's shows run because of the name Balaji, you don't have to put an Iqbal Khan on the show to get better TRPs. That will not make a difference. It all depends on the story. No matter who is on the show, if the story is not good, it is not going to work. Even Karishma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon have done shows and they are brilliant actors, but unfortunately things didn't work out.
How is it working in 'Kkavyanjali' after a long stint in 'Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai'?
For an actor, the best part is that when you get to play something else, you play something different it is good. I have been lucky in this case because Angad's character keeps changing every 3 months in 'Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai'. Sometimes he is a bad boy, sometimes a flirt...so it is all good. In 'Kahin To Hoga' I did a tapori and now I am in Kkavyanjali doing a totally different character, so it is great.
You are doing two daily serials. Isn't that too much work pressure?
It is cool. My body has got used to it now. I don't feel faint anymore. See I have certain plans for myself and I am not married yet so I can do this.
There is a sudden spurt of talent in the entertainment world from Kashmir. Do you think your success could be inspiring youth there?
Kashmir has remained closed up or cut-off for a long time. Now that people are coming out and working here it must definitely be giving hope to people there. It is a good thing. I remember when I did my first music video and I had to pick up the girl in the video in the end, a neighbor in Srinagar went tut-tut ting to my mother about a Kashmiri boy picking up girls like that on TV. Now when I go there they say you are doing great work because their sons are also coming out now.
Do you miss Kashmir? How often do you go there?
Of course I do... its home. I go there whenever I get time. Last time I went after two years. The time before this I had gone for a week. That time it was really bad, that is the worst time of Kashmir I have ever seen. But this time I saw a lot of change, a lot of tourist. I saw a lot of people there and it gave me a feeling that things are getting back to normal.
Do you feel scared for your family there?
I have lived in Kashmir during a phase when the militancy was at its peak. I was a kid, so I have seen that phase. So as compared to that I feel safer. I want them to come here but when they come here even in January they say it is very hot.
We have been hearing about your marriage plans for a long time. Are you too busy to get married right now?
I am not. When my parents tell me to get married I will do that. They know the girl, they have seen her and probably, Inshallah, next year I will get married. Right now I have some plans for myself and my family. I want to fulfill them.
After Iqbal refused to age in her 'Kaisa...', she has even dropped the idea of a generation leap in the serial. The charismatic Khan somehow manages to have his way with women. The heartthrob of millions of serial viewing Indian women has no time to enjoy this adulation as he works for 16 hours every day. He talks to us about his work, his fans and his roots.
How does it feel to be the poster boy of TV?
I still don't believe it somehow. I have to pinch myself to believe it. It is a good feeling. Anybody will feel nice. I'll be lying if I say that 'Oh it is alright'. It feels great to be admired like that.
According to some reports, your fans are stalking you...
I think that is a package deal. In our profession it is pretty normal to have such fans too. As long as they don't attack you with guns and knives it is fine.
How has Ekta reacted to your refusal to age in her serial? She is pretty ok about it. We have dropped the generation leap and the graying part. Now we are taking a 4 year leap only.
You managed to have your way?
Yeah!(laughs)
Kkavyanjali TRPs are falling, is that why you have been introduced in the serial?
You can't get someone on the show thinking the TRPs will go high. Balaji's shows run because of the name Balaji, you don't have to put an Iqbal Khan on the show to get better TRPs. That will not make a difference. It all depends on the story. No matter who is on the show, if the story is not good, it is not going to work. Even Karishma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon have done shows and they are brilliant actors, but unfortunately things didn't work out.
How is it working in 'Kkavyanjali' after a long stint in 'Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai'?
For an actor, the best part is that when you get to play something else, you play something different it is good. I have been lucky in this case because Angad's character keeps changing every 3 months in 'Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai'. Sometimes he is a bad boy, sometimes a flirt...so it is all good. In 'Kahin To Hoga' I did a tapori and now I am in Kkavyanjali doing a totally different character, so it is great.
You are doing two daily serials. Isn't that too much work pressure?
It is cool. My body has got used to it now. I don't feel faint anymore. See I have certain plans for myself and I am not married yet so I can do this.
There is a sudden spurt of talent in the entertainment world from Kashmir. Do you think your success could be inspiring youth there?
Kashmir has remained closed up or cut-off for a long time. Now that people are coming out and working here it must definitely be giving hope to people there. It is a good thing. I remember when I did my first music video and I had to pick up the girl in the video in the end, a neighbor in Srinagar went tut-tut ting to my mother about a Kashmiri boy picking up girls like that on TV. Now when I go there they say you are doing great work because their sons are also coming out now.
Do you miss Kashmir? How often do you go there?
Of course I do... its home. I go there whenever I get time. Last time I went after two years. The time before this I had gone for a week. That time it was really bad, that is the worst time of Kashmir I have ever seen. But this time I saw a lot of change, a lot of tourist. I saw a lot of people there and it gave me a feeling that things are getting back to normal.
Do you feel scared for your family there?
I have lived in Kashmir during a phase when the militancy was at its peak. I was a kid, so I have seen that phase. So as compared to that I feel safer. I want them to come here but when they come here even in January they say it is very hot.
We have been hearing about your marriage plans for a long time. Are you too busy to get married right now?
I am not. When my parents tell me to get married I will do that. They know the girl, they have seen her and probably, Inshallah, next year I will get married. Right now I have some plans for myself and my family. I want to fulfill them.
Veer Hanuman
Anupamaa
