Yes, this is my first OTT series. I am playing the role of coach in this show. You know that in our country cricket is considered as a religion. I really liked the concept of the show that it has a mixed cricket of the game of female and male players. In this, along with entertainment, a tremendous message of women empowerment and gender equality will be seen. If Deepak Pandey has shown it in a very amazing way, then this series can also prove to be a game changer in the world of cricket. It may also happen that going forward, such a team can be thought of, which is a mixed gender team, in which only Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj will be seen playing together. I am playing the role of a South Indian coach named Prakash in this series of iYore TV. This is a lost coach, who has been removed by the cricket board. Once upon a time it was India’s number one coach. The series’ protagonist Rumana comes looking for me and inspires me to take up cricket coaching. After that a lot changes not only in the coach but also in the world of cricket. In this you will get to see high octane drama.
Do you love cricket? How much will this show benefit from the evergreen season of cricket in the country?
When I was in college, I was crazy about cricket. I have played a lot of cricket. I have also played one Ranji Trophy match. I used to be a very good cricket player then. But I was bitten by the worm of acting and I turned to this side. Anyway, two boat rides were not possible. I think the cricketing environment in the country will help this series a lot. Even before this series or films on cricket like Inside Edge, Lagaan have been very much liked. I sincerely hope that this series based on cricket will attract the audience and the series will be liked.
OTT proved to be a game changer not only for the audience but also for many senior actors like Bobby Deol, Rahul Dev, do you think it will accelerate your slow career?
It is true. Bobby Deol has dominated OTT. Not only seniors but many new talents also got a chance here. I too have high hopes about my career that seniors like us will get the desired job on this platform. I am doing another web series. Various platforms of OTT not only supported the audience in the despair of the lockdown but also emerged as a strong platform, but today I have turned to theatre. I am watching Sooryavanshi and together I observed that the audience is returning to the theatres. Director Rohit Shetty has made the film for Masses. He did well combining senior actors like Javed Jaffrey, Gulshan Grover and Jackie Shroff. I will also meet Rohit Shetty soon. I want to work with them.
Be it grand shows like ‘Chandrakanta’, ‘Yug’, ‘The Sword of Tipu Sultan’ or big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, you worked with everyone, then what was the reason that your career took a break ?
I will sit at leisure someday on this issue and tell the condition of my heart. What and why happened to me that I was not able to do the things that I used to deserve. I believe in that sher of Iqbal, where there are others ahead of the stars, there are more tests of love now, you are Shaheen, Parwaz is Kaam Tera, there are others in front of you. I am looking forward to do strong roles in future.
You are the son of renowned classical singer Ustad Aamir Khan Sahab, but how has your life changed after your father’s death? How was the struggle?
Everyone has to go through struggle in their journey. In our time, we used to work patiently while fighting. Nowadays there is an era of instant and fast food, so people are less patient. By the way, the pandemic has taught us a lot in lockdown. All I would say is that keep doing your work with hard work and honesty. I remember Amrish Puri sahab (well known actor) told me, always keep yourself fit, my career started at the age of 54 and that was possible only because I was fit. See, I was 7 years old at that time and my father-in-law had died in a car accident. My father had a big name. He was Padma Bhushan, he had also received the Sangeet Akademi Award. But that accident took them away from us. After that our life was never like before. After that, the difficult times that my mother and I saw, I consider it as the pillar of life. Whatever I am today is because of my father. I remember working in the front office of Center Point Hotel in Nagpur. When there was no one in the bar area, he used to do the job of bar tender. Then there used to be thousand-twelve hundred of the month, but that too used to be a big deal. I too had to fight for my share, but in ‘The Sword of Tipu Sultan’, I got a break and my life changed.
Some time ago you were also in controversies regarding allegations like molestation? What did you learn from that experience?
You are talking about the same controversy and not the one which was related to my daughter. I disclosed that. False allegations were made against me. See, a person can tolerate pain and suffering on himself, but if he has a slight pain on his son, then he cannot tolerate it. I had to come forward for my daughter. He was tortured. I learned that we should always stand up for our children. I would say this to every parent that be it difficult or difficult, definitely support your children.