Shiney Ahuja in the danger zone

Masking fear and cultivating an aura of invincibility is an art that most actors master after setting foot in showbiz. But Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, who has been in the industry for the past four years, is yet to emulate the time-tested defence mechanism.

The result? A chat over the telephone revealed that this actor, who made his debut in the critically acclaimed film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2004, was a tad skittish about the his latest action drama Hijack.

"Will there be any takers for movies released during Ramadan? Maybe the film's release could have been timed better," were his opening remarks.

The buzz was that his movie Hijack, dubbed as a thriller about terrorists hijacking a plane, was initially slated for release on August 29 but was postponed to September 5 at the last minute. No sooner were his doubts uttered, than Ahuja hastily backtracked.

"I mean … the decision to postpone Hijack by a week was deliberate because at least five movies were releasing last week [August 29]. There was no point in adding one more movie to the pile. We were likely to get lost in the crowd," says Ahuja.

Theatres saw heavy traffic in Bollywood releases last week with formidable movies such as the Rock On!, Chamku and C KKompany battling for eyeballs.

A refreshing change from actors who are quick to praise their projects to the skies, Ahuja, 33, says he is well aware of the controversies that surround Hijack. Topping the list is that the movie is a Die Hard action series rip-off and has little to offer Bollywood buffs in terms of originality.

"I fail to understand the workings of Bollywood. Everybody is quick to write off this movie and pass judgement before even watching the trailers. As far as my role is concerned, it has no resemblance to detective John Mclan [Bruce Willis's Die Hard role].

"In the movie, I play the part of a regular airplane maintenance guy who learns accidentally that his daughter is aboard a flight that has been hijacked by terrorists. I am thrown into a situation forcefully and have not been trained to fight villains like Bruce Willis. Any resemblance to Die Hard is purely coincidental," says Ahuja.

Continuing his tirade on the double standards in Bollywood, Ahuja feels that one of his earlier projects, Life … In A Metro, should have been convicted of plagiarism charges instead. This award-winning 2007 release boasted names such as Shilpa Shetty, Konkona Sen and Kay Kay Menon and fared remarkably well at the box office.

"Life … In A Metro was a copy of the 1960's Hollywood flick The Apartment. But it went on to win the Best Original Screenplay awards on two occasions last year. At that point, I did not hear anyone complain about originality. So, why is Hijack's screenplay made into such a big issue?" asks an agitated Ahuja.

No Godfather

His disillusionment with showbiz does not end here. Despite having gained a foothold in Bollywood with hit movies such as Gangster, Woh Lamhe and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and garnered several Best Actor (Debut) awards, Ahuja says he continues to feel like an outsider.

"I have no godfather or so-called connections in Bollywood. Nor do I attend parties after work, so it's only natural that people mistake my low-key existence for arrogance or high-handedness. But I am not affected by such reports because I am here to make it on my own merit rather than by networking," says Ahuja.

Surprisingly, this self-confessed sociopath features high on the hate list of his leading ladies too. Ahuja is notorious for his fall-outs with his co-stars including the chirpy Preity Zinta and the fiesty Kangana Ranaut.

Blogging

"The media loves to vilify me and I have learnt to ignore such rumours. If it's not a fall out, then it's inevitably a link-up or an extra-marital affair. What does it take for a guy to get it right here?"

But if you thought he was willing to let such things pass in future, then think again. His next step is to follow the steps of other veteran actors such as Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan and enter the blogosphere to set things right.

"I will be starting my blog soon. As soon as I get some free time, I will begin work on it. It's time that I spoke up about my link-ups and fall-outs," says the actor, known for his sensitive portrayal of an intense lover boy.

Surprisingly, his link-ups, ranging from his alleged torrid affair with his secretary Tanuja to the much-talked about combustible Shiney/Shilpa Shetty chemistry, have not taken a toll on his marriage.

"I have a wife who trusts me completely. Such rumours have ceased to affect us. Right now, we are in a good place and I am enjoying every moment with my wife and our 10-month-old baby," says Ahuja.

Did you know?

Some of the action sequence of the Hijack was shot in Ras Al Khaimah airport. According to Shiney Ahuja, battling the intense heat was tougher than executing stunts like hanging from the wings of a plane.

Hollywood hangover

Hijack is not the first Bollywood venture to be slapped with plagiarism charges. Here is a list of 10 movies with a heavy Hollywood hangover:

God Tussi Great Ho (2008 )= Bruce Almighty

Heyy Babyy (2007) = Three Men And A Baby

Partner (2007) = Hitch

Welcome (2007) = Mickey Blue Eyes

Naqaab (2007) = Dot The I

Fool N Final (2007) =Snatch

Taxi No 9211 (2006) = Changing Lanes

Aap Ki Khatir (2006) = The Wedding Date

Bunty Aur Babli (2005) = A remake of Warren Beatty-Faye Dunaway caper Bonnie & Clyde

Deewani Hua Paagal (2005 )= There's Something About Mary