After Khubsoorat, Fawad Khan is all set to further explore Bollywood. He now awaits a visa clearance.
Says Pakistan's favourite poster-boy, "I am all set to return to Mumbai. But the visa is yet to be granted. As you know, nowadays things are even more tense between the two countries than before. However there is no real problem as such. Bass, ab kuch hi dinon mein visa mil jayegi. I should be there sometime in November."
Fawad returns to Mumbai to rumours that he'll be seen opposite Sonam Kapoor(again!) in a screen adaptation of the book The Battle For Bittora, to be produced(again!) by Rhea Kapoor.
For an actor who has repeatedly claimed he doesn't like to repeat himself that deja-vu set-up sounds a bit iffy, more so since Fawad plays royalty in both Khubsoorat and Bittora.
Reasons Fawad, "That may be so. But just the royal blood doesn't make the characters identical. Besides Anilji, Rhea, Sonam and I have only talked about The Battle For Bittora. Nothing has been finalized. Until I sign on the dotted line nothing is for sure. In Bollywood there's many a slip between the cup and the lip."
Currently the ladies of Hindustan are collectively swooning over Fawad in the soap Humsafar. "That was done nearly five years ago. I looked different and felt differently. Maybe if I were to do it now it would be a entirely different interpretation. Would you believe, I almost didn't do Humsafar! The serial's makers were persistent. But I wasn't convinced for a long time. Finally, I am glad I did that serial. I feel Humsafar worked because of its progressive take on the man-woman relationship. There are a whole lot shades, some of them dark and grey, to my character. For me it's very important to constantly explore my personality through my characters."
Fawad insists he works selectively. Because that is the only way he knows how to work. "I know many actors in India and Pakistan who can work in many films simultaneously, move from one set to another and still do justice to their roles. I can't! I have to work on only one project at a time."
He now looks forward to his next project. "It has to be something that takes me on a higher ground than Khubsoorat. "I was very moved by the response to the film and me in both India and Pakistan. Here in Pakistan the film was accepted wholeheartedly. What gladdened me the most was that people here in Pakistan said I conducted myself with dignity in Khubsoorat. For me maintaining my dignity is more important than anything else."
About the ladies in India and Pakistan drooling over him Fawad says, "I am truly grateful for their warm attention. But I feel there are so many better actors and better-looking men out there. I am not being overly humble when I say I'm just an average guy trying to do my work sincerely."
Marathi TV
