I am not questioning Vishesh films- Shaad

Courtesy: IndiaFM
Monday, September 11, 2006
A new face on the block. You might have caught a glimpse of him in Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai and lot more of him in the remix song from the film Woh Lamhe. He is Shaad Randhawa, nephew of yesteryear screen legend Mumtaz, this young man has come into his own though.

First and foremost tell us how you bagged this role?
I would say because of lots of perseverance and patience. I kept on following up with Mohit Suri and Mahesh Bhatt. I always wanted to be a part of Woh Lamhe mainly because it is a very prestigious project.

Did you always want to become an actor?
Yes. It was always my dream to become an actor.

Tell us something about Woh Lamhe
Woh Lamhe is loosely based on Parveen Babi's life. There is romance between Shiny Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut. It is a love story.

What is your role all about?
I have a key role in this film. I play a superstar who affects the relationship between Shiny and Kangana. He is a volatile fellow and has quite a few grey shades to his character. He is power driven star and doesn't like defeat. He is basically on the borderline of arrogance.

How was it like working with Kangana Ranaut and Shiny Ahuja?
Kangana is a very sweet and nice person. She made me very comfortable while we were doing our scenes. As for Shiny, he is a very professional and thinking actor. He is very mature and I learnt a lot from him.

The Bhatts have always been associated with good music and Woh Lamhe is no exception
Excellent, excellent music. And I am not just saying it because it is my film. The song 'Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai' is rocking the charts. Then there is a ghazal 'Tu Jo Nahi Hai' which has the Mahesh Bhatt stamp on it. 'Bin Tere Kya Hai' is a love song and 'Chal Chale' is a nice and loungy song.

Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai has been inspired though?
Really? Well, which music is original these days? You hear remixes which are blatantly copied. I don't think it is an out an out copy.

Any fun moments on the sets?
Lots. Mohit Suri is an excellent director. I am extremely lucky that I have made my debut in his film.

The assistant director said that I should use the clap-board for one scene and I told him I don't know a thing about it. So he wrote a lot of gibberish and said I should say this in front of the camera to begin the shot. I said all that non-sense and the whole unit burst out laughing. It was really fun.

Did your co-stars pick on you considering that they are a few films older than you?
No, not at all! No one made me feel that I am new. The direction department and camera department made me feel really comfortable.

How come you are being sidelined in the promotions?
Well, film-making is a business in the end. Shiny and Kangana gave a hit in Gangster and they are known faces. I am not questioning Vishesh films. The film is a love story between Kangana and Shiny and that is what is being promoted. What is more important is that people see the promos and come to watch the film.

Your comments on the Bhatts
Working with them is like working with family. Mahesh Bhatt gave me a break and I will always be grateful to him. He has achieved so much in life but he is so unassuming and down to earth.

What is the USP of the film?
Mohit Suri's passion for making this film and his conviction

What else are you doing?
There are talks for a couple of projects with the Bhatts but nothing is yet finalized.

Was it an advantage considering that your aunt Mumtaz was an essential part of this industry?
No! In fact my aunt told me that she had initially struggled in her career and came up eventually. She advised me to go do everything myself. Mahesh Bhatt and Mohit Suri did not take me because I was related to anyone. It was my own persistence that fetched me this role.

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