The Hindu : New Delhi News : Riding high on success

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Monday, Oct 01, 2007
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New Delhi

Riding high on success

Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

In a different role: Actor Parvin Dabas who was recently in New Delhi to showcase photographs taken by him.

After being introduced in ‘Monsoon Wedding’, actor Parvin Dabas has made it big in the off-beat Indian cinema. Madhur Tankha meets him during a visit to the Capital.

First noticed in off-beat Bollwood film ‘Monsoon Wedding’, actor-cum-photographer Parvin Dabas is still riding high on its success. Directed by Mira Nair, the film not only created ripples at the box-office but also gave newcomer Parvin a chance to act alongside Naseeruddin Shah and hold his own against the veteran actor.

During a recent visit to the Capital to showcase his photographs at an exhibition here, Parvin said: “The casting director of ‘Monsoon Wedding’ contacted me for the general audition and I was selected for personal audition by Mira Nair herself from among a dozen actors. It was my debut film.”

Upbeat about his upcoming movie ‘Breaking News’ in which he plays an upper middle class Muslim character, Pravin says: “I play the role of a software engineer facing problems on account of my religion. I did some research for the role and talked to a few of my friends from the minority community who had faced religious discrimination. For example, in Mumbai it is difficult for them to buy a flat.”

Adlabs will release the film by October end that also stars Perizaad Zorabian and Sarika and has been shot in Mumbai

‘Sirf’, based on lives of three couples, is another film he is looking forward to. “The film features accomplished actor Kay Kay Menon. When you act alongside talented actors, you get pushed to do a better job. I am cast opposite Bengali actress Rituparno Sengupta who plays a possessive wife.”

The much-talked-about film ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, basically a black comedy on the life of a dysfunctional Indian family, was literally a dream-come-true for Pravin. “I acted alongside legendary actors Anupam Kher and Boman Irani,” he says.

A proud Jat from a village on the outskirts of Delhi, Pravin says a well-rounded actor should be adept at portraying every facet of life: “True I have done quite a few films on relationships, but now I am doing an action film.”

A creative young man, Parvin is a wildlife enthusiast and has been dabbling in photography since the age of 12. Over the years, he has made a gradual transition from being a wildlife photographer to a fine arts photographer. He is now a photo artiste who specialises in underwater photography, having done a course in Thailand.

Remembering his childhood days when he started out by shooting nature and animals with his camera, Parvin says: “I borrowed a camera from my father to click pictures of birds and horses. Later, I started experimenting.”

His underwater pictures were displayed at an exhibition titled ‘Satrang’ at the India Habitat Centre here. “I shot my latest pictures for the Delhi exhibition in Thailand and Philippines. The work reflects a strong psychedelic streak stemming from the bizarre nature of the underwater world. It is a kaleidoscope of images giving art lovers a feeling of hallucination,” says Parvin.

As for his background, Parvin studied at Modern School in Vasant Vihar and then did his graduation from Delhi University’s Hans Raj College. “I used to actively participate in plays in my school and college. I admired Sanjeev Kumar for his acting prowess. Later I went to New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts,” says Parvin.

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