It’s no secret that this week’s Bollywood thriller, Mom, is driven by actress Sridevi.
She’s in the driver’s seat as Devaki, the harried mother on a bloody quest to protect her daughter at all costs.
But the spotlight isn’t trained on the icon alone. Director Ravi Udyawar’s feature film debut boasts a string of low-profile, but incredibly-talented actors such as Akshaye Khanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The son of the late veteran hearthrob, Vinod Khanna, he completes 20 years in Bollywood with Mom, currently playing in the UAE.
But that milestone seems to have escaped the younger Khanna, who made his debut in 1997 with an angst-ridden romance, Himalay Putra.
When his two-decade survival in Bollywood was pointed out by this journalist, he skimmed over it like we were discussing the soaring temperatures in the UAE.
While it may be difficult to ascertain moods or the palpable excitement over a long-distance telephone interview call, the actor was studiously matter-of-fact.
So does he ever look back on his career choices?
“No I never analyse my own career choices. We get to be a part of some bad movies and we get to be a part of some good movies. I started young. I started my career when I was 19. I am only 42 now and time is still on my side,” said Khanna in an interview.
Putting him at ease is the knowledge that he sculpted his own career by making choices that appealed to him.
“But that’s not saying that I don’t make bad choices — but at least those choices are mine. And I believe that I can afford to be a little patient and choose carefully now.”
His career is a mixed bag filled with hits, misses and a self-imposed sabbatical in 2012 that lasted five years.
While blockbusters such as the cult friendship drama Dil Chahta Hai — in which he played an introverted painter who falls for an older woman — and pedestrian comedies such as Hulchul, in which he endeared in his goofy role, feature in his career catalogue, there are dozen or more duds which didn’t ignite anyone’s imagination.
But his turn as a villain — be it as the devious cricketing bookie in the recent action drama Dishoom or as the manipulative lover in Humraaz — have always been embraced. Plus, he isn’t partial to solo-hero projects, a charge that many young stars are facing as they tend to gravitate towards roles that give them scope for maximum screen-time.
But acting with other talented actors, who enjoy more star-wattage than him, is something Khanna celebrates.
For instance, Sridevi is the star of Mom and there’s a good chance that she may walk away with all the glory. So, does that worry him?
“It is not something that I shy away from. To be a part of good cinema is always the quest of any actor, when you get to work with someone who is as legendary as Sridevi that is an added benefit. Having said that, we are actors — one doesn’t have to choose characters that revolve around you alone. We must support good cinema in whatever ways we can,” said Khanna.
While that may be the case, he’s prudent enough to know that his role must matter. That’s the big picture.
“But both Nawaz [Nawazuddin Siddiqui] and I wouldn’t have done the film if the script didn’t give us something we felt we could create an impact with the audience. So I think that is not something one compromises on at all,” said Khanna. This actor is a minority in an industry which is borderline narcissistic. While the actor is oblivious to it, he just believes in being part of good content.
“I think actors are selfish at some point — not in India, but globally too. Being a part of good cinema is a quest that’s a constant battle. Being selfish for good work and being surrounded by the best talents is always the quest of an actor.”
He counts his latest film, Mom, as one of those rare opportunities where he can be a part of an engaging story with an universal connect.
Don’t miss it
Mom is out in the UAE this week.
Khanna on ...
His new film Mom:
“It’s a beautiful, humane story. It has many genres rolled into one film. But it’s essentially a family drama with a universal connect. As long as the film is subtitled, you can show the film across cultures, nationalities and other such barriers. It is a film that deals with an emotion that is so universal.”
On reviews:
“I don’t specifically go in search of them. But if somebody sends the review of my film on What’sApp then I read it.”
On his languid pace of choosing films:
“I would like to do as much work in future as I possibly can. But having said that, remember films are a collaborative art form. I need to find a person to write a good script, find a good director. It is not always easy to do three or four or five films a year.”