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A seasoned performer on the small screen

Actor Aman Verma, who has made a mark on the small screen, believes that he has a long way to go in Bollywood, says Madhur Tankha

His small screen career may be thriving, but he is not content with his innings in Bollywood. From hosting game shows to acting in films, Aman Verma has done it all. Yet the talented actor believes he has a long way to go in Bollywood.

Aman has a few dream roles he would love to play. "I want to do the role of Amitabh Bachchan in "Shakti", Al Pacino in "Scarface" and Dilip Kumar in "Ganga, Jamuna". I regularly watch films as part of my homework," he says.

As his father was in the Army, Aman travelled to many interesting places that gave him a chance to observe people. "I have travelled to almost every nook and corner of the country. My family did not stay at one place for more than three years. Having lived in Siliguri, Kolkata, Nagaland, Ferozepur, Andaman and Nicobar, Pune and Delhi, I observed closely how different people conversed and lived," he adds.

Sharing the big screen with superstar Amitabh Bachchan in "Baghban" was a memorable experience. "Amitji is the country's biggest legend. However, the moment the camera starts to roll, he becomes just another actor. Whether you are working with Big B or some other star, you have to be honest to your craft. I hope to get another opportunity to work with Amitji. He is a thorough professional and makes sure that his co-stars are comfortable. This works well for the film."

Before the shooting of "Baghban'', Aman was apprehensive about working opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. "Initially I was scared because they were both my childhood idols. But I overcame my fears later."

Revealing that he had excellent on-screen chemistry with his male stars in "Janeman", Aman says: "I got along well with both my co-stars Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. From my experience, I can say that Salman is a lovely human being, while Akshay is a complete professional."

Resenting that actors from the film industry are preferred over outsiders by filmmakers, Aman says: "If you are born in the industry, you are noticed and one day someone will launch you in a film. For those with no family connections in Bollywood, it is difficult to get a foothold. Moreover, there is a perception among filmmakers that television actors are busy and overexposed. So you have to convince them that you will be punctual on the sets. I know there are some television actors who don't even have one day to spare for other things."

Aman is not averse to the idea of hosting a show on the lines of "Kaun Banega Crorepati". "I would love to do something like that. Both Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan have taken the TV show forward in their own unique ways. Besides the aura and fan following, both superstars are highly successful." Aman who won an award for his role in "Virasat" on Star One is busy with "Zee Cine Star Ki Khoj'' these days. "I have two films in the pipeline with big stars but cannot speak anything about them," he says.

To remain fit, Aman goes to the gym and does a lot of cardiovascular exercises. "I believe in the mantra that a healthy body has a healthy mind. To keep myself focussed on my work it is important to remain fit. I have basic food habits but I guzzle lots of cold coffee."

Aman says: "Besides technical differences, on the big screen you are part of history, while on television you are like a daily newspaper that is read and then thrown away. In the years to come, television will become bigger than films. People watch television stars a lot more closely. Aman loves the creations of designer Wendell Rodrigues and Suneet Verma. "I will even like to work with Wendell in future. I love all international brands. I am a football lover so I am wearing a Manchester United T-shirt."

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