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"A relationship is bloody hard work"- Imran
We unravel Imran Khan - the man behind the star
There is something about Imran Khan. And it's not just his looks. It's more than that. His sharp darting eyes arrest you even as they speak of a mind that's continuously absorbing. Then, there is also the fact that he has impeccable manners. He has no qualms pouring me a glass of water, even remembering my beverage of choice. Despite the fame, the success and the fans, he doesn't crave attention. Rather, he's curious to learn more, grow more. While there are many who want to be him, buy him, sell him, run their fingers through his hair, eat chips with him and even kidnap him, Imran is on his own journey... Over a course of latte and diet coke, he contemplates life, girls, movies, family... all with quintessential seriousness.
Q. Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (GTPM) is the fifth rom-com of your career. Are romantic comedies your comfort zone?
(Pauses) Doing rom-coms is something that comes easily to me. I like these fun, slightly complex characters. I like the particular humour employed in such films. They are also the kind of characters my grandfather (filmmaker Nasir Hussain) would have loved.
Q. So you're okay with the fact that people primarily associate you with romantic movies?
Eventually, as a saleable commodity, you create a brand image. Yes, I have done things to avoid being typecast. As a creative person, I have challenged myself. It's great to try the new. I will keep doing it, even if I fail. But I won't mess with what's working.
Q. Rom-coms ruin our sense of reality. Agree?
Yes. But escapism works. People want to forget their worries while they are watching a movie. But I'd also like to caution that you won't find that one perfect person. Even if violins play, you can't be sure it'll last. It happened to me once. She was my cousin's friend. I walked into a room, a beautiful girl was sitting by a window, the birds were singing and the sun was setting. It was a stunning sight. Almost cinematic. But things never worked out between us.
Q. So it wasn't like that with Avantika?
Avantika and I knew each other for a while. But it's the love that has grown between us over the years that is magical. A relationship is bloody hard work. I've put in hard work, so has she. We both do romantic things for one another. But it's not like the movies, all coordinated. Avantika is one of the craziest people on this earth but whatever challenges there are in our relationship, I can deal with them 'coz she is worth it!
Q. What is more important to you: personal validation or public validation?
Obviously, you want your films to be liked. You want them to do well. But you have to accept that sometimes people will like what you do and sometimes they won't. And you have to be okay with that. I want to do the best work and I want to do work that I like. I want to be able to look back and not be embarrassed of the things that I have done.
Q. Is rejection still as scary as it was when you were 25?
What's the worst that can happen to you? A boy may refuse you. You may not get a job. But we actors are put on a pedestal. When somebody is putting 50 crores on you, what if it goes wrong? You drown someone's 50 crores and the blame falls on you. You're the face of the film. Rejection is not on a national level, it is on a global level. So you have to come to terms with that and stay calm. Things go wrong and it's okay. There are things that are in my control and things that are not. I do the best I can for what's in my control. And what's not, I don't let it affect me.
Q. It must hurt somewhere...
Yes but who am I to complain about rejection? I have an amazing family and I have a far better life than most people. A far happier one too. I genuinely love movies. I'm a movie geek. I love being on set. But my existence is not just about that. My life involves books, travelling and so much more. I am lucky to have a comfortable life, doing what I love and learning at each step. It's okay to want more. But one must be thankful at every step too.
Q. How important is it to work with people you like or get along with?
Very important! I want to wake up happy each morning and say that I have worked with good people. Break Ke Baad didn't do well but I loved working on the film. I made friends for life. Recently, I have been through a few uneventful experiences where I have not enjoyed working with some people. When I look back at the stress, the tension and that seething feeling I got every day after I returned home, I wonder why I did that to myself? A film may be a hit or a flop but I'm not going to waste six months of my life with people I don't like and those who don't like me. I spend nine to ten months on a film and what do I have to look back to? The fact that I dragged myself every morning to look at miserable b@*#$%&^. Nothing's worth that. Not even money.
Q. What are you looking at doing post GTPM?
I am doing a film with Vikramaditya Motwane. It's challenging. The movie business involves a lot of trial and error. My plan is to do one film a year that I hope works with the audience and one that stimulates my creativity like Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola or Delhi Belly.
Q. If you could, what would you change about your life?
(Smiles) I have a wife and a mother who keep me grounded. They are hard to please. They tell me they'll whack me if I don't work harder. There is absolutely nothing that I want to change about my life.
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