Sammir Dattani talks to Subhash Jha

By: Subhash K. Jha, IndiaFM

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

You had two releases on the same Friday last month?
Yeah!! It was very exciting. Corporate for the Hindi audiences and my first Telugu film Amrutha Varsham released on the same day in Andhra Pradesh. I think I am blessed. How many actors must have had such an opportunity of two releases on the same day?? I guess that's the advantage of working in different languages.

Your role in Corporate was small. Was it chopped off?
Yes it was a small role but a great film. I must say I was disappointed with what remained of my role . But since it was for the betterment of the product I don't mind. The film is always more important than any one character. I did the guest role because I wanted to be part of an exciting film, and so what if it has an ensemble cast? It's a new experience. Also working with Madhur Bhandarkar was a great opportunity. After my first film not doing well at the box office I was waiting patiently to work with film makers whom I admire. My next release Mukhbiir has me in an author-backed role. I'm in almost every frame.

Belonging to a business world was it easier to play a corporate guy in Madhur's film. How much did you contribute to the look of your character?

Yeah I connected a lot with Anmol's character because of my business background. Also a lot of my friends are currently working in the corporate world and their life bears a resemblance to my character. So that helped me a lot. The look of the film is very exciting I love dressing formally. I made one major contribution to my character, and that was my unshaven look. Madhur was a little skeptical about it initially. But I convinced him that it's totally accepted in offices world -over and will also look nice.

It's being said that you did not promote Corporate as strongly as Mukhbiir because you have a guest role in the former...
That's not true at all. All my films are very important to me irrespective of the length of the role.

Now that your career is taking off is it difficult coming to terms with the smaller parts in Pyar Mein Twist and Corporate
Mukhbiir has definitely given my career a big boost and its a film that I am very excited about. But films like Pyar Mein Twist and Corporate have helped me get where I am. Mukhbiir probably wouldn't have happened if it was not for all my past work. I have enjoyed being part of these big films and have no regrets at all. Every film plays a significant role in ones career.

Your career in the South....is it a problem in Mumbai?
Sometimes it is...When people deliberately declare me absent from Mumbai. Otherwise I see it as an advantage because I can wait patiently for that one exciting offer in every language without actually being out of work. Hence in the past 5 years I have done just 4 films down South. I am also hoping my Hindi films will fare much better in the South. Maybe my audience which rarely watches a Hindi film will cross-over . If that happens it will be amazing because my producers can actually count on that market for returns which is generally very small for Hindi films.

Do you sometimes wish you were a star-kid?
No not at all, I have made satisfying headway , the industry is fair to everyone. I am very happy with the way I have been accepted here. My experience so far has been very pleasant I have at every step been lucky to have helping hands from within the industry in spite of being an outsider. Just goes to shows how warm people here are. Besides I think a star-son like Abhishek Bachchan would've been a superstar regardless of who his father is.

Future projects....
I have two films with White Feature Films (Sanjay Gupta) and I am also doing a film with Mr. Murali Manohar (of Provoked) besides others which I'm too superstitious talk about until it actually happens.

You're being constantly linked to your co-stars in one way or another..
I know... it was very annoying initially but now I don't pay much attention to such talk. I am basically a friendly guy and hence get along well with everyone I work with. People may have their own interpretation of that rapport. As long as my friends and co stars don't misunderstand it and don't believe what comes out in the papers I guess I will just live with it. Even my parents who are quite conservative, initially use to react strongly against such things but now have become comfortable with the idea that such things happen and cannot be taken seriously.