Journey from supermodel to movies 
By Taran Adarsh, November 16, 2005 - 00:05 IST
He has been a supermodel. He has endorsed a number of products. And now he awaits the judgment as an actor. Supermodel turned actor Zulfi Syed returns to the big screen after a hiatus with TAJ MAHAL. Of course, Zulfi has been a part of two films, PYAASA and CHUPKE SE, but he rates TAJ MAHAL as a project that’ll showcase his potential as an actor.
“Taj Mahal is amongst the seven wonders of the world. And not just the Indian audiences, but even foreigners would be keen to know the story behind this monument. That’s why a film like TAJ MAHAL has an edge over other love stories,” the soft-spoken model turned actor tells me, continuing in the same breath, “A film like TAJ MAHAL will always be remembered. It’s as immortal as MUGHAL-E-AZAM, it would stay fresh even after fifty years.”
Zulfi says he decided to abstain from signing any and every film that came his way after his debut venture PYAASA released. “I did receive a lot of offers, but most of them were sleazy flicks with skin-show in abundance. I wanted to stay away from those films. It’s better to sit without work than work in those films,” he states.
The Bangalore-born model says he’s ready to accept challenges as an actor. “I don’t want to see myself in love stories only; I want to experiment in life. It could be an anti-hero or a strong character – the role should be challenging enough. That’s the sole criteria I look for when I sign a film,” he reveals.
The supermodel adds that the expression ‘models can’t act’ doesn’t exist anymore. “The general perception has undergone a change. With so many models entering Bollywood and making a name for themselves, besides earning praise for their work, most models are here to stay,” he adds. Will Zulfi enjoy an equally successful innings like some of his contemporaries [Arjun Rampal, John Abraham], only time will tell!
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