Sooraj Pancholi: “Isabelle & I Were Very Comfortable Together”

It’s not been an easy time for Sooraj Pancholi, for long  under scrutiny for  the  death  of actress Jiah Khan.

“I am  over that now. In fact I laugh at those making a desperate  effort to keep that controversy alive. I have far  better things  happening in my life,” says Sooraj.

A  new release, the dance film Time To Dance, for one.“It’s my first full-fledged dance film.Both  my co-star  Isabelle Kaif and I   had so fun doing the dancing. It’s all done in the Latin style. So  all the dancing is collaborative. I must say Isabelle is  a fabulous dancer. As for me. I think I dance well too. I’ve always been good at hip-hop. The  Latin dancing was new to me.”

Sooraj says  the film has not lost any of its freshness, “We completed it before Covid19 and  thelockdown. It’s coming out only now. But the best part is,  it’s being released  in both theatres  and  a some days later on Netflix.We all know people are not going  to theatres. So I’m very excited about millions  of viewers seeing Time  To Dance on Netflix.”

How was  the rapport with Isabelle? “Oh, we were friends  from long before we started  shooting. We spent  a lot of time rehearsing our  dance steps. She is  an absolutely  hassle-free co-star, great  fun to be  with. I   enjoyed  the  experience shooting the  film with her. I hope it is a success for her sake  as well as for mine.”

Sooraj has not had much luck with the boxoffice. His last  film Satellite Shankar, though  praised by critics  never got an  audience. “That’s because it wasn’t promoted  well at all. Giving my hundred  percent  to a  film is all I can do. What  happens  to it after it is complete  is  not in my hands.”

Sooraj is  now ready to start  shooting for  his  next film. “I play a real-life Haryanvi  boxer HawaSingh. I think I’ve always had a boxer’s build. So I didn’t need  to work on my physique  for  the role.”

Sooraj lived away from his  parents  through his  childhood and teen years has now moved back with his parents. “I grew up in my grandparents’ home.After then I continued  to stay alone with my dogs. But now I live  with my parents(actors Zarina Wahab and  Aditya Pancholi) and I am very comfortable  with this arrangement.”