Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; March 3, 2018)

In seven years in the industry, Saqib Saleem has chosen to be part of films that have not just earned rave reviews but have also raked in the numbers at the box office. In a candid chat with BT, the actor, who will soon be seen in Dil Juunglee, talks about how a middle-class Delhi boy earned a ticket to Bollywood and why an actor needs to strike a balance between masala entertainers and serious cinema. Excerpts...

You’ve spent seven years in Bollywood… how do you look back at the journey?
Had I not been an actor, I would have been counting cash at my father’s restaurant or supervising activities in the kitchen. I did it for a year when I was in college. I put on 10 kgs and then it hit me that I couldn’t do that anymore. I was single and I wanted attention from girls. They were obviously not looking at me because my belly was not where it was supposed to be. Though my father has been in the restaurant business for close to 50 years, I couldn’t see myself doing it. I came to Mumbai because I was in love with a girl. I told my parents that I am going there to take care of Huma (Qureshi), but when I finally landed, I didn’t meet Huma for months (laughs).

How did your family take to your choice of career?
The last film my father saw before he saw me on the big screen was Mughal-E-Azam. Whatever I have achieved in the industry is something I consider to be amazing. Also, I am the younger sibling and Huma paved the way for me. She always took the bullet.

From your choice of films — whether it’s Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge or Dil Juunglee — it looks like you want to do content-driven films and not just commercial entertainers...
I don’t think it’s right to define films as commercial or art house. What’s important is that a film evokes a certain emotion when it’s being watched. Whether it is a Mere Dad Ki Maruti or Hawaa Hawaai, both films did decent numbers and were appreciated by the critics too. I want to ensure that films provide entertainment, but at the same time are content-driven. I am not the guy who can get a Rs 10 crore opening at the box-office because I have not reached that stage in my career. Whenever people see me on screen, I want them to feel that I am making an effort and pushing the envelope. I remember heading to watch Dabangg at Chandan Cinema during Eid when I landed in Mumbai from Delhi. The kind of hysteria I saw surrounding a Salman Khan film was something I had not witnessed before. That’s where I want to be. I want to get mobbed and want people to see me as the guy who they can’t get enough of.

But if you want to be a star, you will have to work in the typical masala entertainers...
One of the actor’s whose work I admire is Aamir Khan. His repertoire of films makes me jealous. When I am 50, I want other actors to look at my work and feel the same way. As an actor it’s very easy to stay in one’s cocoon. One is surrounded by managers and publicists and they could create a fictional world around you. I disconnect from that world from time-to-time, I spend a week in Delhi with my friends and get a reality check. I have always been a late bloomer. I enjoy the process and the journey more than just wanting to reach the destination. Being on a film set is better than eating the mutton biryani my mother makes!

How difficult was it for you to make inroads into the industry?
In any field, people want to work with those who they know and trust. It’s the same in the Hindi film industry. They might know you because of what you portray on screen, but you need to have a personal connection with everybody around you. I am a people’s person and it comes naturally to me.

What’s your say on people coming out and sharing their experiences with sexual harassment, both in Hollywood and Bollywood?
Those who’ve faced sexual assault should speak up. The more we talk about it, the lesser it will happen. The conversations could act as a deterrent and that’s a good thing. Also, if you really like somebody, be a man and woo that person. Don’t be a lech. There is absolutely no fun in being a stalker. Let’s begin by respecting women.

You’ll be seen in the third instalment of the Race franchise...
It’s the biggest film of my career. When I am working with actors like Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor, it encourages me to up my game. By working in a film like Race 3, I’m only going to enhance my status as an actor. I am getting the opportunity to reach out to a large audience because I am part of a film that stars Salman Khan.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 6, 2015)