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Irrfan courts Telugu cinema
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Actor Irrfan Khan is upbeat about his first brush with Telugu cinema
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I decided to be an actor after watching Naseer's films. So I jumped at the offer when he approached me for his own film
BOWLED OVER Irrfan is enjoying shooting in Hyderabad Photo: Sandeep Saxena
The unit of film-maker Gunasekhar's Sainikudu, on the outskirts of the city, is racing against time trying to finish its shooting schedule. Amongst them, they have an impeccable actor who is courting Telugu cinema for the first time. Irrfan Khan, known for his intense performances, is making his debut in Telugu. "I loved Gunasekhar's Okkadu. So when he approached me for a Telugu film and asked me to play a negative character, I gave it a thought. I liked the story and agreed. And Mahesh Babu is a competent actor," smiles Irrfan, talking to us in between shots.
Like many other Bollywood actors, Irrfan is all praise for the Telugu industry. "A number of Bollywood units are professional these days. Yet, nothing can beat the units here. I've never seen a Hindi film unit pack in so much work in a day and do it so well," he explains. Now that he is acting in Sainikudu, more offers have been coming in. "I got an offer from a Tamil director too. They want bulk dates from me and right now, my schedule is packed," says the actor.
`Maqbool' Vs. `Namesake'
The film fraternity and the audiences alike consider Irrfan's impeccable performance in Vishal Bharadwaj's Maqbool as one of his finest. Irrfan hopes that Mira Nair's The Namesake and Naseeruddin Shah's Yun Hota Kyun Hota will show him in a new light. "I had read The Namesake long before I was offered the film. Mira Nair's script reflects her energetic self. There's Tabu and Karl Penn in the movie. I think Indians who have lived abroad will be able to relate to the story. People can see parts of themselves in the film and infer their own meaning. It's a moving story," says Irrfan.
He brightens up talking about acting under Nasseeruddin Shah's direction. "I decided to become an actor after watching Naseer saab's movies. So when he offered me a role, I jumped at it. I told I'd be willing to do any part. His film is one of the most challenging ones I've done till date. There are three parallel stories that do not culminate till the end. Yet, there is one strong instance that binds them together," says Irrfan.
Irrfan admits that challenging roles and films are tough to come by. He strikes a balance between mainstream and alternative cinema. While he flirts with movies like Mahesh Bhatt's Killer, he talks passionately about Buddhi, a film that looks at the lives of mentally challenged children and the societal pressures on their families. "I don't care if Buddhi becomes a hit or not. But it's a good story that has to be told. I enjoy mainstream films as well, and they take care of my bank balance."
Theatre act
He credits his powerful performances to his days in theatre but regrets not being able to be part of theatre now. "Theatre is a tough commitment and requires time. But I might do a play with Naseer saab."
Ask him about doing forgettable films like Mr 100 Percent and Irrfan sighs, "With all due respect to the makers, that was a mistake. I liked the story when it was first told to me. It appeared like a lot of research had been done. But by the time I realised that the film wasn't my cup of tea, it was too late to back out."
SANGEETHA DEVI .K
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