Film stars pitch in for Indo-Pak unity

Cricket, camaraderie and celebrities — these are the favourite flavours of the season. As I enter the Baniyas Room at the Grand Hyatt, the press conference announcing details of the Indo-Pak showbiz stars' cricket match is just winding up.

Organisers and celebrities have already finished saying their standard pieces about their love for the game of cricket and how the celebrity cricket would foster Indo-Pak relations. Personally I am not too convinced of the seriousness of these showy events but their fun value is never in doubt. Popular TV host Saajid Khan then brings the press conference to its conclusion, adding to that fun feeling with his inimitable wisecracks about the cricketing ability of the stars.

Now it's time for the gala lunch — the perfect time to pitch in for interviews.

The camaraderie is certainly in the air and whosoever I meet is genuinely in a pleasant and fun-loving mood. TV cameras and radio microphones are busy capturing all the action.

Amongst the hustle bustle of Indian and Pakistani celebrities, amongst the constant milling of media-persons, I move from one table to another, trying to find my "catches".

Even though some pre-hyped big names like Abhishek Bachchan, Akshaye Khanna and Salman Khan are missing, I still manage to catch hold of quite a few Indo-Pak showbiz celebrities who talk not only about cricket but about their careers too.


Suneil Shetty,
Actor

Soft-spoken and courteous, Suneil Shetty wins you over in a flash. He has been one of the chief operators instrumental in organising this celebrity cricket match for Indo-Pak amity. When I ask him about his sports-loving image, Suneil says, "I have been a sports buff right from my school days. Back then, I was quite a good cricket player. Later on I learnt martial arts. Even as an actor, my image is that of an action-star and thus, I have always pursued sports and fitness with passion."

He says that he doesn't have a single favourite cricketer as such but likes the game in totality. "Sehwag, Sachin, Saurav, Dravid, Laxman, Shohaib Akhtar, Inzamam, Youhana — I like all these players. Each has something different to offer to the game."

He says that as an actor and a patriot, he did not see anything wrong in playing an Indian war hero Bhairav Singh in LOC. "That was a depiction of history — a portrayal of the events in the past but now if both countries are moving towards friendship, I am all for such a peace move. I don't think in future, I will act in any anti-Pak movie."

When I ask how he feels about finally getting recognised as a good actor, Suneil smiles, "I did not know anything about acting when I started. As a child learns to walk, I learnt it at my own pace. It is now satisfying to see that critics have started appreciating my efforts."

When asked whether he would be doing more negative roles like Dhadkan, Khel and Rudraksh, Suneil says, "My negative portrayals were quite well received but after another such role in Main Hoon Na, I won't be doing any more negative role for the next two-three years. Now I would like to try my hand at comedies, which seem to be making a big comeback at the box-office!"

Salman Ahmed,
Guitarist, Junoon

Tall, fair and handsome, Junoon musician Salman Ahmed and his jovial nature immediately impresses you. He stumps me by telling me that he played first class cricket and even represented the under-19 Pakistan cricket team as an opener. He says he really wanted to make a career in cricket but music pulled him away. He mischievously adds, "I soon realised that you can have many flirtations but only one passion in life. So music became my passion." Innovation, according to him, is the key to the success of his band. He says, "A song like Sayyoni has Sufiyana poetry but its music appeals to the common man, whether in Karachi or Bombay."

About the special bonding between the Junoon-trio, Salman says," Ali, Bryan and me have been together for 14 years. We are close friends and that definitely helps. We haven't restricted our music to Junoon and each is free to perform on his own. So recently Ali sang Garaj Baras for Paap and I am doing a rock-classical fusion song with Shubha Mudgal."

He is surprised and overwhelmed by the warmth shown by his Indian fans, who even include Bollywood bigwigs like Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. He says, "In my recent visit to India, I visited the house in Patiala, where my mom was born, and my eyes welled up with tears. Just then, a nearby door opened and a lot of pigeons flew away, fluttering their wings. That image left a deep impression.

"Musically we have come from Jazba to Deewar, now all I want is to break these walls of distrust and hatred between hearts!"

Ritesh Deshmukh,
Actor

In a white, figure-hugging T-shirt and blue jeans, Ritesh Deshmukh looks the callow youngster that he is. Speaking confidently, he says that such celebrity cricket matches are small steps in the right direction of building trust and friendship between two neighbouring nations. He is an avid cricket lover and has even played cricket for his school and college. When I ask him to name his favourite cricketer, he smiles and says, "Sachin Tendulkar — who else?"

When I ask him how his filmi experience has been so far, he quips: "They have even accepted a bad actor like me with open arms. So you could imagine how good this industry must be!" He had completed his degree in architecture and was working in the US, when he caught the acting bug. He had done some theatre in college but the offer to act in films was sudden and unexpected.

"So what was your dad's reaction to this offer?" I ask. (Ritesh's father Vilasrao Deshmukh, was Maharashtra state's chief minister at the time.) Ritesh confesses: "He was shocked. He even asked me, "have you completely lost it?" I just said 'I would like to try my luck. He gradually came around. He wouldn't have minded if I had joined politics."

Ritesh hasn't ruled out joining politics in future. "My father and brother are already in politics. People in the rural constituency from where my family comes really remember the good deeds; then politics isn't a thankless job."

Masti, where he plays a comic role, and Bardasht, where he plays Bobby Deol's brother, are his forthcoming releases. "I am just trying to find my feet in this industry," he says on a parting note.

Dino Morea,
Actor

As I literally pluck Dino Morea out of the clutches of his female admirers for an interview, he looks almost relieved. His sincere boyish face breaks into a sheepish smile. He says, "I love this adulation but I still consider myself to be a newcomer. I have just had two and half years in this industry. Another three years and I would call myself a veteran.

"Switching from modelling to films is not difficult but to survive in this industry without a godfather is the real struggle. I don't bother too much about the gossip columns. I am happy that critics have started to appreciate my acting efforts. It's good in a way that I haven't started with a bang. Slowly but surely, I am getting the hang of the system.

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