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Scripting a successful career

Actor Abbas is trying to shed his chocolate boy image, writes R. Rajaram

Photo: M. Moorthy

COMMITTED Willing to do challenging roles

His ambition was to become the hero of the skies, but he ultimately landed in the dream industry becoming a reel hero. His chocolate boy image and charm shot him into prominence overnight in his maiden Tamil film, "Kaadhal Desam," that changed the course of his life since then.

Mosaic of roles

It is almost a decade now since he is in Kollywood doing a mosaic of roles, mostly romantic, model-turned actor Mirza Abbas Ali a.k.a Abbas is now trying to change his image by doing even negative roles.

"It was a total accident," begins Abbas about his entry into filmdom way back in 1995. His common friend introduced him to film director Kathir in Banglore when the latter was there in 1994. That was the time when Abbas was into modelling in Mumbai, where he was pursuing his final year graduation. He had come to meet his pals in Bangalore, where he did his schooling. "I introduced my pals interested in acting to Kathir," he says.

A year later came a call from producer K. T. Kunjumon's office after which everything happened in a flash. "I was a stranger to Tamil culture and never thought I would fit into Tamil filmdom being clean-shaven," he says.

The screen test was over and the contract signed immediately and thus was born actor Abbas in "Kaadhal Desam" when he was just 19 years. "I just did that as a hobby, but it was certainly a pleasurable experience acting with Tabu and Vineet who were already into movies then," he says. "I did what was natural in that movie. Being a smash hit, I didn't know how to overcome overnight stardom."

More offers

Once the project was over, Abbas packed up back to Mumbai. But, the boyish image and clean-shaven look (that was also the time when the MTV generation had started off) got more offers for Abbas, who has done 65-70 movies till now in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

"I thought cinema would be easy but it was very technical." His inability to speak in Tamil did not come in his way and dates started to pour, though he did not know much about the industry then.

His movies from then on included V.I.P, Poochudava, Asaithambi, Ini Ellam Sugame, Kandu Kondein Kandu Kondein, Malabar Police, Padayappa and Hey Ram.

A romantic hero, Abbas had teamed up with another actor in most of his films - be it Vineet, Prabhu Deva, Ajit or Mamooty. "I learnt a lot from Vineet," he says. Teaming up with another actor in a film helped him in improving his work besides paving the way for a healthy competition. "I wanted to act with everybody."

He would not mind doing even a small character if it was to his satisfaction. "I believe in experimenting," he asserts. Abbas says he attaches more importance to the script prior to acting in that film. "If I like a script I do it as it is the script I look for. Sometimes I have done films for money as I have commitments too," acknowledges Abbas who was born in Kolkatta and brought up in Bangalore.

And how was it acting along with super star Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan? "Oh Rajnikanth is just amazing." He (Rajni) has got the right attitude and elevates the co-artistes," says Abbas who looks up to Hindi star Amitabh Bachchan as his role model.

"Kamal sir is a walking encyclopaedia. His (Kamal's) planning is too good and he is in Hollywood style. Very knowledgeable." Acting with Rajni in `Padayappa' helped him to reach the masses, he says. And so was the case while doing `Anandam' in which he had gone for a dark make up.

Having picked up Tamil and been in the industry for a decade, Abbas says he is now trying to change his image. "I have taken efforts to change my chocolate boy image."

In fact, Abbas is doing an anti-hero role in a Telugu film `Sathyam Shivam Sundaram.' "I would like to do anything that inspires me," says Abbas who is currently working in two projects in Tamil.

Is there a heroine with whom he would love to work? "Yes, with Hindi actress Kajol," he says after a long pause.

Having become a family man (his wife is a designer running a boutique in Chennai), Abbas says he goes shopping whenever he finds time and loves to spend time with his son and daughter.

And what are his other interests? "I love riding my bike on the East Coast Road. I go trekking," says Abbas who has made Chennai his home now.

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