Hussain Kuwajerwala became television’s favourite boy as Sumit Wadhwa in “Kumkum”. With musical “Zangoora”, he made it big on the live stage. Now, with small-budget thriller “Shree”, the actor has made his film debut. Excerpts from an interview:
You are debuting on the big screen after a really long break from television…
I believe for actors it is never too late, and any time is a good time. Perhaps, to be frank, in my case I did not put in much effort in the early stages of my career to create such opportunities for myself. Maybe, I had a different approach towards many things in the past.
I was pretty satisfied as I had a wide array of work in my basket. Working for television I got a chance to act, host and participate in dance shows… all at the same time. Later on, I got associated with “Zangoora”, which I loved doing. But, finally, when I got “Shree” I felt this was a story you need to tell the audience. Thus, my debut.
While newcomers newbies prefer paving their career path in Bollywood with big banners, but you chose a small-budget film like movie “Shree”.
Truly speaking, for me as an actor a project should be content-driven. The audience will always appreciate a good script, irrespective of the kind of budget attached to it. Also, one should have the confidence to go ahead with their conviction. I thought the script was quite good. I am happy with the way the film has turned out and how we all worked as a unit. And “Shree” is a thriller, where one does not necessarily require big moolah.
I got a few opportunities in the past but those were not the kind of breaks I was seeking, as they did not give me much freedom as an actor. I love doing distinctive things, and when the script for “Shree” came to me I thought the story was different. And I particularly loved my character. In Bollywood, you will see a lot of rom-coms but not many thrillers.
You left television at the peak of your career and joined “Zangoora”. Didn’t it impede halt to your career in any way?
Not really. The kind of work I have done in “Zangoora” is something many others want to do at a certain point of in their career as well… things which I would have never done on the small screen or even movies. It was a live entertainment show, the first of its kind in India, where every act should be like your first one. It’s a trend which will soon pick up pace. On top of that, “Zangoora” will also complete a thousand shows pretty soon, and that speaks volumes in itself. The production was so big that I can easily compare it with a big film. And perhaps because of my work there I was offered this role. So, in every manner, it only helped nourish my career, taking it a level higher. This was the cherry on the cake.
Tell us something about your role in your debut movie “Shree”.
My role is about a common man who wants to make his life better, just like others. He gets an offer from a person who asks for 12 hours of his life, promising to turn his life into the one he always dreamt of — luxury car, big house, loads of money. My character accepts the offer, after which he witnesses a lot of twists and turns which lead him into a trap. It is about how my character deals with it and how this story unfolds.
Do you plan to go back to TV sometime?
Television is something I have always enjoyed, and it made me who I am. It has given me an identity. I would want to go on TV but that depends on the opportunities I get. But, at present, my focus is only on “Shree”.
