Irrfan Khan: “I  Won’t Talk About The Casting Couch As Publicity For My  Film.”

Recently while promoting his new film Qareeb Qareeb Singlle  Irrfan spoke out against the casting couch, on how he had been propositioned  by both men and women  earlier in his career.

Irrfan feels it was a mistake. “I shouldn’t have spoken about it. The occasion was not right. It seemed  like  I was promoting  the film by talking about this(the Harvey Weinstein syndrome). I spoke about many  other things. But that was highlighted. So I’d like to address that issue in detail with you  in another interview.”

At the moment Irrfan  is in Kolkata promoting his Indo-Bangladesh co-production Doob: No Bed Of Roses directed by Mostofa Sarwar Faroki  where Irrfan has spoken his own Bengali lines.

“It’s my Bengali film,hence special. And yes, I’ve spoken my  own Bangla lines. I must say it was a challenge  because  the Bengalis are very  particular about how their language is spoken. One  wrong pronunciation and  you’re doomed. But I have managed to do it.”

Irrfan is  very  proud  of Doob. “I play a filmmaker  who falls in love with a girl who’s his daughter’s friend. It’s something I’ve never attempted before,hence  interesting.It is always a pleasure to be part  of an international project.I hope the  film is noticed in India.”

The West has already reacted with lavish praise for Irrfan’s performance  in Doob. But Irrfan  is hopeful  that films like Doob : No Bed Of Roses would get an  audience  in India. “What I like about current filmmaking trends  in India is  the diversity. There are so many  kinds of films  being made. Of course the big-ticket  blockbusters will always  dominate  the boxoffice. But other  kinds  of  films are also getting an audience. Earlier this year my  Hindi film Hindi Medium turned out to be the  biggest success of the year so far in terms  of investment and  profits.”

Irrfan is hopeful  his new room-com would encore the success of Hindi Medium.

Right now Irrfan is traversing various cities to promote Qareeb Qareeb Single. “It is a brightrom-com and I like what  it has  to say about the  courtship stage  of  a relationship when everything is bright and rosy and glowing between  the couple when both the people in love with each other are on their  best behaviour. It is the most hopeful  stage of  a relationship and according to me, the  best part of a  man-woman relationship. Later possessiveness, jealousy, anxiety and insecurities creep into a relationship and cause its downfall.”

After Mira  Nair  Irrfan got to work with another female director Tanuja Chandra  in QareebQareeb Singlle.

Irrfan disagrees with the contention that women are more sensitive to the nuances  of the  man-woman relationship.  “In Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Sahib Bibi Aur Gangster Returns  the Bibi’s part was one of  the  best written for a  female actor. I think filmmakers  like RajKhosla and Vijay Anand understood women as well as  women directors, if not better. And  it  was a  man (Shailendra) who wrote Katon se kheench ke yeh aanchal for WaheedaRehman in Guide. It is the ultimate anthem of women’s liberation.”

Speaking  of Waheeda Rehman she is Irrfan’s co-star in Anoop Singh’s  Mantra: Song  OfScoprions.

And  Irrfan just can’t stop raving. “It’s a dream come true to be  in the the same film as her.Though we  don’t have  any scenes together I can feel her presence all the time.”