Saqib Saleem, 24, who made his acting debut last year with the YashRaj youth films’ arm Y-Films project Mujhse Fraanship Karoge , and got instant success, is back with yet another one from the same production house. The second of a three-film deal with Y-Films, Ashima Chibber-directed Mere Dad Ki Maruti is about a father-son duo who is at loggerheads with each other. The flash point is when the son manages to lose his dad’s brand new Maruti Ertiga which he had planned to gift his daughter on her wedding day.
“It’s a hilarious big fat Punjabi wedding that centres around a mad father and a good-for-nothing son!” says Saqib. “I play a typical Chandigarh guy called Sameer Khullar who is some sort of a loser and who thinks that if the college hottie needs to be taken out for a date then he ought to have a car. Not realising what repercussions it could have, Sameer takes his dad’s Ertiga for a spin and all hell breaks loose.” Saqib says the film typifies a regular Indian father-son relationship too. “Every father thinks his son is the biggest fool around, doesn’t he? I play that fool!”
Saqib says that he has been fortunate to work under the YashRaj banner in his first film. He is also working on a short film directed by Karan Johar in the upcoming Bombay Talkies series. “It stars Rani Mukherji and Randeep Hooda and I am really excited about its release,” he says. At 24, he seems to be getting all the cutesy roles but Saqib says he is open to looking ugly on screen! “If a role demands that I put on a paunch or sport freckles or whatever, I will be more than happy. I am here for the love of the craft, not to make money,” he adds.
