Shiny Ahuja plays Mahesh Bhatt

By: Reshma Kelkar, IndiaFM
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Shiny Ahuja is on a career high these days. After getting noticed in Gangster, he is once again in news for Mohit Suri's Woh Lamhe, where his character is based on Mahesh Bhatt. Apparently Shiny has never been the first choice of his directors but became hot favorite subsequently.

In the case of Woh Lamhe, Mohit Suri had approached his cousin brother Emraan Hashmi to play Mahesh Bhatt. But when Emraan refused, Shiny came into picture. Nevertheless it doesn't matter to Shiny as far as his role is good. "I have never been the first choice of any of my films, not even for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and Gangster. Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar was considered for my role in Gangster. And I was frequently asked whether he could have acted better than me? I feel if he can act better than me, I can bowl faster than him."

There is no doubt that Shiny has managed to amaze his directors by his outstanding performance in each movie. He says, "I was always a second choice of my directors, but then they used to tell me that I was the best choice and they would cast me again in their next film." So while his mentor Sudhir Mishra has signed him for his forthcoming film Bahut Nikle Mere Armaa; after Gangster Anurag Basu is directing him in his forthcoming film Metro. Vishesh Films have also repeated him in Woh Lamhe. "When you've worked with someone, automatically there is a comfort level. If I do a film with another filmmaker I will be slotted there." says Shiny, who is currently working with filmmaker Priyadrashan on Chandramukhi where he plays an NRI doctor.

Shiny was appreciated for his intense roles in HKA and Gangster. Does it mean that he enjoys playing such characters? "These characters were hard hitting and I enjoyed playing them. It was obviously not an easy task and it was like a challenge for me. I feel intensity is a strong conviction towards the emotions, the characters are feeling that time."

Coming back to Woh Lamhe he says, "I play a young director, who is selfish and ruthless and his only aim is to reach on top. This is about how he manipulates the success of the actress Sana Azmi and finally falls in love with her. As its title suggests, it is about those moments of their life."

Since he plays Mahesh Bhatt in this movie, wasn't it tough for him to play the real life character, moreover who is associated with the project and even supervising it? "Yes it was. It's a great responsibility to play a real life character in a film, esp. when he is the creative head of the company. And I did not want this character to look like a caricature. So I avoided the physicality of his character; rather I played this character with heart. I feel if the audience can understand what Mr Bhatt went through during that phase of his life, my job is done." he adds.

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