A day out with Aftab Shivdasani

By Fuad Omar.

Aftab Shivdasani's new film Kya Yehi Pyar Hai is all set to release soon. He's working very hard on his others which should follow and his first ever world tour is just around the corner. Has the man been busy? You bet! Here's what happenned one hot sunny day in Mumbai...

I'm awoken at 11am by the shrilling noises from my mobile which for some reason seems louder than usual on this morning. I'm so dazed out I consider cutting the call until I see someone's name flashing on the display. Too tired to read it, I just realise it's someone I know and so press 'ok' and mumble a "hello". "Hey buddy! You asleep?" says the voice and I immediately know who it is. I turn my head to the right and look at the time, and in a split second I've jumped up from the bed. The caller is Aftab Shivdasani and I'm supposed to be meeting him today right now and am still not done with my forty winks. "No way I'm ready" I say, in between tossing clothes around, trying to find a shirt for today. "OK cool. Get to (mentions place) and my driver will pick you up from there in 20 minutes," he says and then click. I go through a moment's silence before a mad rush kicks in. I grab all I can and get ready as fast as possible, not wanting to miss the chance to see Aftab on the day I agreed to spend with him.

11:30 I promptly arrive (just about) at the venue where his driver will pick me up. I have enough time to dash in and sip some coffee before the car arrives. Aftab's car is reflective of him completely. You'll find as many funky and funny pictures all around the interior as can represent the wacky, cool and down to earth dude that he is. Be it Batman or Tweety, his car is a shrine to them all.

At 12:40 we arrive at Filmistan Studios on the sets of Awara Paagal Deewana which is the film for which he's shooting for today. He's sporting a white shirt, a tie and black trousers and is getting ready for a shot which involves him, Johnny Lever and Paresh Rawal and a rowdy mob chanting something as they each hold up what looks like tickets. He gives me a friendly wave before I decide to wait for him in his room.

A few minutes later he arrives and greets me with a warm hug, and beams with a look that tells he knows I overslept and wishes he could do the same. Aftab looked fresh minutes ago but now he's looking tired and seems exhausted.
"I haven't slept for two days man" he tells me shaking his head before filling me in on how hectic his schedule has been. I ask him to take it easy but know I'm requesting the impossible not only because I understand how busy he is with work, but also have gotten to see his unbridled passion for his art and how he loves films. He slouches into his chair and puts his head back then turns to ask about me and instead of catching a quick nap he's more concerned about me, how I am and insists I have something to eat or drink. His cellphone buzzes and it's a producer scheduling plans for a shoot and I sit there as they discuss how he has to shoot at some place that's six hours away tomorrow from 8pm to 6am. He asks if there's no way they can change things slightly as he's shooting early morning tomorrow and also has a morning shoot the next day, meaning between now and the day after tomorrow he has no rest. His request falls on deaf ears and he says it's ok explaining he'll catch a few hours in the car on the way there.

I look at him shaking my head as he hangs up the call. He shakes his head back and smiles saying, "This is how it is bro, what can I do?" and I once more ask him to take it easy. As if on cue the door knocks and he's called for the next shot. We head down together and I watch as Vikram Bhatt directs the reaction of the three main actors to the junior artistes, which is a difficult task with Johnny Lever around. The man is too funny. Everyone keeps cracking up including Aftab, who I notice is signalling his spot boy to make sure I'm seated near the monitor to see the screen results. His courtesy and concern is infallible and I feel a little bad because he's so dead tired yet he's still concerned about me being comfortable. The shot is over after a few retakes and we head back to his make up room for lunch. Here we catch up some and he tells me of his new diet and training regime which is the reason he's looking the best he ever has, and discuss general things while eating before his phone starts ringing and again someone knocks on the door.

A massive white guy with a shaved head, bare rippling chest, mean eyes and arms the size of an elephant trunk pounds through the door (well, not literally). His presence is so mean and dominating, it's made editor Amar Singh run for cover. Aftab and I stare at the doorway with the same look that Sarah Connor had when she sees that the Terminator is back, the only thing missing is the slowed down camerawork and dropped jaws. As he shuts the door he says a very British "Awright!". I find out he's Marcus, from somewhere in London who's obviously playing a small role in this film. He must be a fighter or something I think to myself, and he starts telling me what he likes about India (the sun and the food) and how he misses his girlfriend. Aftab can't stop cracking up when he hears that this tank is from the UK and puts his arm on my shoulder and introduces us saying, "Fuad, meet your brother!". All three of us start laughing and it feels pretty good to hear a Brit accent after a while.

Producer Firoz Nadiadwala enters and joins us for lunch and I stick to Marcus as Aftab and he discuss tomorrow's venue. After lunch we head next door to say a quick hi to Sunil Shetty, before leaving in his car for somewhere else.
"This is how crazy it's been and believe me this isn't that bad a day," he says running his fingers through his hair."

We arrive shortly at a producer-director's place who discusses with Aftab the shooting schedule for a new film he's doing. I can't divulge what exactly the film's about, but it sounds awesome and a very different Hindi movie. We go on to talk about the world tour, which Aftab is really looking forward to.
"I'm excited about meeting my international fans and finally seeing the response my work has," says the star who has yet to realise how many people abroad watch and love him. "So tell your readers to come!" he says.

The topic moves onto Asiangigs and he asks more about the site, which I tell him about and he also interrogates me about his net presence among fan clubs online et all. He gives Asiangigs.com an approving nod and says "cool" before we get more into things.

The car heads back to his place before he sets out for more meetings. Once there we sit and chat for a short while and enjoy the sea view, catching up on a few things as tea is served. After saying hi to his family, we leave. He has some more meetings lined up, then has to pack for tonight and so I decide to head to the nearest computer and get writing.

He drops me where I need to be and gives me a bear hug saying to meet up with him again soon. And there you have it: A day in the life of Aftab Shivdasani. Who said being a Bollywood star was all glamour and glitz?