I have proved my versatility – Arjun Rampal

By Rajnee Gupta : In his last three films, Arjun has proved that he is no more a showpiece direct form the ramp; instead, he is a matured actor. EMI, the much hyped flick on the line of burden of loan on middle class families that run behind glam and glitz of outer world, is Rampal’s forthcoming hope in proving his acting lineup. Let’s know what Arjun thinks about it…

Q. Your character in EMI is quite different from the ones you have been portraying in your previous flicks. What’s the reason of accepting such a character?
A. I played quite somber characters in my last three films – OSO, Rock On and The Last Lear. And then only I thought how I need to pursue something different. Co-incidentally, at that time, I got that character and instantly I accepted it.

Q. You have made a different image of yours after Last Lear and Rock On. Do you think it’s justified to break out of that image?
A. Actually, dancing and singing have been an indispensable part of Indian cinema. Even I like it, too. I missed the song sequences in my last few films as I concentrated in having performance oriented roles. I think that an actor has to be versatile. My performance in both the genres has proved that I am a versatile actor.

Q. Once you mentioned that Malaika was taught acting by you and she taught you dancing!
A. I was just kidding. Acting cannot be taught. Actually, she taught me few dancing steps. She is such a good dancer that anyone can get nervous if asked to dance with her. I worked really hard to get onto the dancing floor with her. I hope people will notice my effort.

Q. How was the experience of working with Malaika in EMI?
A. Great. She was a bit nervous at the beginning but she became quite comfortable once the camera was on. It’s also because we know each other since our modeling days. And at the same time we are family friends, too.

Q. How do you relate yourself with your character in EMI?
A. To some extent. I am playing the role of DJ in the film and in real life, too, I like to entertain people by playing various music instruments. But the difference is that I am not going through the same situation in my personal life. Well, I have gone through this stage while I was nothing and wanted to have a lot within very short span of time.

Q. Have you ever faced anyone like Sattar Bhai (Sanjay Dutt in EMI) in your personal life?
A. Yeah. I still can remember the time when I took loan. One day my door bell rang and opening the door I found four or five guys standing at my doorstep. They told me that they work in the bank. But looking at their faces I could ask them only one question. Have you passed fifth standard? On that they broke into laughter. But they didn’t forget to warn me that the date of my EMI was nearing.

Q. What would you like to say for your young audience?
A. I would like to ask them to come and watch the film. At the same time I would like tell them that the film is based on a current topic. They will have enough chances to get informed on the topic and they will be entertained, too. I am sure that the film will remind everyone, if they have taken loan, the incidents they have gone through.

Q. How many credit cards do you use in your real life?
A. (After showing and counting them) six cards.

Q. Nowadays, the market is going through complete null. Is it wise enough to release a film in such a tough time?
A. It’s just a co-incident that the film is getting released in such a time. It’s absolutely relevant time and state for the film. When we started shooting for the film, the sensex was on a great rise. A huge amount was spent on the film only after looking at that state of the market.

Q. Please tell us about your forthcoming flicks.
A. My next release would be ‘Fox’, a comical thriller which will leave the audience absolutely spellbound. Sunny Deol is my co-star in this flick. I am earnestly waiting for it. Then there will be ‘Rajniti’ by Prakash Jha. I have also signed ABCL Corp. film ‘Kunal’ in which I am playing the leading role. It will be directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi.

--SAMPURN