“What's better than being called the lover boy of today's time?” Samir Aftab 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, February 24, 2005 - 04:58 IST
Hailing from Calcutta, Samir Aftab is all set to fill the 'young lover boy' slot in Bollywood. Debuting this Friday with Chand Sa Roshan Chehra, Samir has had a decent brush with Bollywood before as an assistant to Raj Kanwar. Just a few hours before the big day Samir shares his jitters with IndiaFM in this one on one.
Did you always plan to become an actor?
Yes that's right from my childhood.
How does it help to know the basics of the film world before plunging in acting?
It does, when coming from such a background where you have joined the industry earlier as an assistant or in any other way you get so familiar with the technical aspects that when you take up acting the whole process makes sense to you and the end product is really good.
What is your character in Chand Sa Roshan Chehra?
The character I am playing is named Raj - a very sweet person, very lovable, very charming and innocent. The story is about him going to Switzerland to get his love back. He is a college going student and the way he is portrayed in the film anyone and everyone can love him.
Like it is in the film how would you react if you come to know that your worst enemy is your lost childhood sweetheart?
I would be very blunt and honest, just go to her and speak to her and tell her who I am and win her back.
Is that what you are doing in the film too?
Yes actually I am doing the same, in the first half we keep fighting and then when I get to know the reality I try to win her back.
Lot of new actors are flocking the Bollywood way…what are your strengths?
Maybe it's my hard work and my honesty towards my work. From the acting point of view it's for the audiences to decide where they think my strengths lie. But I think it's my hard work and my honesty that will keep me there right till the end.
In a quick to typecast industry how confident are you of the image you are debuting with?
Absolutely, it was my conscious decision to come into a romantic film first. As far as typecasting is concerned… I really don't mind that, what would be better than being called the lover boy of today's time.
So what are your dream roles?
I am a great fan of Salman Khan so I would like to play the kind of roles he played in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Tere Naam.
List your icons in the industry?
Amongst the male actors it has to be Salman Khan and amongst the female actors it is Mrs. Bachchan, who I think is the most fantastic actor in the world.
One thing that you absolutely adore about Hindi film industry?
What I like is that it's like one family, which always gets together whenever there is any problem or distress they are always there for each other. And even if someone doesn't know you, you can just walk up to them and say I am so and so and they welcome you with open arms. And its one place that anyone from the entire country if given a chance would love to be there.
Thing that you abhor…
The Friday-to-Friday pressure, one Friday you are there the next you aren't. It so happens that out of sight is out of mind. So its like you got to be there frequently otherwise you had it.
Name one actress you find irresistible and would die to work with?
Rani Mukherjee.
What type of projects are you looking for?
Anything and everything, I am not going to say that I am looking for a certain type of role. Anything that is good and worth it why not?
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