For far too long now, Imran Khan has been stuck with playing the chocolatey lover boy in most of his films that look no different from one another. But this formula has surely worked wonders for him. Like his uncle, Amir Khan, Imran too has a knack for picking the right projects, however mundane they may be and this is increasingly turning him into a hit making machine.
His upcoming film, ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’ which is a mix of Annie Hall-meets-What Happens in Vegas, pairs him up with Kareena Kapoor for the first time and throws the two into the sin city of Las Vegas where one morning they wake up to discover that they are married. “Obviously, they were sloshed the previous night,” laughs Khan.
His character Rahul, was written especially keeping him in mind. “A lot of things scripted into the character were very close to Imran’s actual nature. He felt very comfortable doing it,” says director Shakun Batra and Imran too feels the same. “Often, you just portray characters that are so off the mark from who you are as a person. Rahul, on the other hand is so much like me — he’s easygoing and calm,” says Khan.
Imran believes ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’ is one of those films that are character-driven, and not plot-centric. “It’s a coming-of-age story where two people strike an unlikely bond. This guy is an architect, who is very straightforward in the way he has lived his life so far. He does things that his parents tell him and has no regrets until this girl, played by Kareena comes along. Soon after he meets her, all his ideologies go for a toss,” he says.
The actor clearly enjoyed working with Kareena who he calls, without a moment’s hesitation, one of the best and most talented actresses around. Imran says they have had fun working together and that their camaraderie shows in their chemistry on screen. “I think we look fabulous together, though I know I shouldn’t be the one saying this,” he laughs out.
More than Kareena, it is producer Karan Johar that Imran reserves his greatest affection for. This is Imran’s second film with him after ‘I Hate Luv Storys’ and Imran is mighty impressed with this new-found friendship. “Karan is someone who stands by you no matter what and that proves he is a wonderful friend,” he says.
Recalling the days right after disastrous flops like ‘Luck’ and ‘Kidnap’, when work was hard to come by, Karan was the one who placed faith in Imran’s ability as an actor and gave him an opportunity to work again. “When nobody called, Karan did and reassured me that I had talent,” reminisces Khan with a smile.
While Karan is a dear friend, is Ranbir Kapoor one? The ‘Rockstar’ boy is often seen as his arch rival but Imran says they are buddies and that their rivalry is media-created. “Let me tell you, Ranbir is doing really well and I think all of us are happy for him,” he says. However, critics suggest that Ranbir is taking risks as an actor while Imran is playing it safe to which he retorts, “Do you mean ‘Delhi Belly’ is safe? I am doing a Vishal Bhardwaj film – is that safe? Look, Ranbir has had his share of rom-coms too. We are in the same boat.”
Unlike Ranbir, Imran is happily married to long-time girlfriend Avantika and the actor recommends marriage to everyone. “It’s good to come home to someone you grew up with. Marriage has matured me in many ways,” he says.