"Shahid has surprised me…" - Aziz Mirza

By Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama News Network

He has worked with Shah Rukh Khan in four films [RAJU BAN GAYA GENTLEMAN, YES BOSS, PHIR BHI DIL HAI HINDUSTANI, CHALTE CHALTE]. For the first time, veteran Aziz Mirza has looked elsewhere, beyond Shah Rukh. "When I bounced off the idea of KISMAT KONNECTION to Juhi [Chawla], her reaction was, 'Sounds so much like a young SRK.' Shah Rukh is a terrific actor, but he wouldn't look in his 20s. I had to cast someone young for the part," the soft-spoken film-maker tells me.

So how did he zero upon Shahid Kapur? "I had seen ISHQ VISHK and was truly impressed by his acting abilities. I also liked his effort in films that didn't work. But he has surprised me with his performance in KISMAT KONNECTION. He's excellent in the film," Mirza informs me.

KISMAT KONNECTION is important for yet another reason. Mirza's son Haroun will be credited as the co-director of the film. "Actually, he should've been credited as the co-director during CHALTE CHALTE itself. My wife Nirmala was hospitalized then and I was at the hospital most of the times. Haroun came forward and shouldered the responsibility then. He's extremely capable and so sure of what he wants," the veteran states.

• Interviews