Exclusive: Looking back at Aftab Shivdasani’s growing up years

Well, you are indeed the sunshine of the industry. So, how was your growing up years? My growing up years were like anybody else. Since we stayed in Churchgate, I did my schooling from St. Xavier’s, Mumbai. After which, I went on to do my BCom from H.R. College, Read More">Mumbai. I used to love sportsRead More

Well, you are indeed the sunshine of the industry. So, how was your growing up years?
My growing up years were like anybody else. Since we stayed in Churchgate, I did my schooling from St. Xavier's, Mumbai. After which, I went on to do my BCom from H.R. College, Mumbai. I used to love sports and was very distracted from studies. The only difference in my life was that I was introduced to this whole big world of glamour at a very young age. I was just 7 years old when I did Mr. India. I must say that the whole experience was beautiful because it created a space inside my head; it gave birth to a whole new thought about cinema and acting. I never knew that I would be very comfortable in front of the camera. But here I was, at absolutely at ease before the camera! And I started enjoying working in films.

How did you first enter into modeling? Did someone discover you?
To be very frank, my parents knew a model coordinator who was casting for the 'Farex' ad. I was only 14 months old when I did this ad!

That was followed by Mr. India. Right?
As a matter of fact, Mr. India happened when I was 7 years old. It so happened that my father had given my photographs to somebody who was casting for Mr. India. That's when I met the director Shekhar Kapoor. I still remember that day when we (Shekhar and I) met at Prithvi Theatre, Juhu. When we met, there were no camera auditions. Shekhar had a one-on-one interview with me. To me, he came across as a wonderfully delightful person to talk to. What was so striking about him was the fact that he was personally interviewing all the kids. And luckily, I was one of the selected kids. After that, it was only 'Lights, Camera, Action' for me.

Quick Factoids Birthday: 25 June, 1978 Pet Name: Affy Place of Birth: Mumbai Parents: Dad’s name is Prem and Mom’s name is Putli. Has an older sister named Afsana Shivdasani First Ad: Farex First Film: Mast (opposite Urmila Matondkar) School: St. Xavier’s, Mumbai College: HR College of Commerce, Mumbai ‘Adorable, Fantabulous, Truthful, And Boyish’, Read More">‘AlwaysRead More

Quick Factoids
Birthday: 25 June, 1978
Pet Name: Affy
Place of Birth: Mumbai
Parents: Dad's name is Prem and Mom's name is Putli. Has an older sister named Afsana Shivdasani
First Ad: Farex
First Film: Mast (opposite Urmila Matondkar)
School: St. Xavier's, Mumbai
College: HR College of Commerce, Mumbai

'Adorable, Fantabulous, Truthful, And Boyish', 'Always Fun Truthful And Bubbly', 'Articulately Funny Timing And Bold '...well... these could be some of the messages that today's birthday boy must have got in his slam book. If you are still clueless, then, do yourself a favor by picking up only the initials of the above name and this is what you get: AFTAB! Well, it is indeed the Happy Birthday of the chocolate boy Aftab Shivdasani. Bollywood Hungama caught up with this guy for an exclusive interview in which he talks about his childhood, his growing up years, his first claim to fame and life as Bollywood Star.

Aftab, even before we start the interview, please accept our heartiest wishes on your birthday...
Thank you so much. I am really touched.

To start with, what does your name mean?
It means The Sun.

What's your family background like?
My parents are retired, though my Dad is into horse riding these days, while my Mom is a housewife. I have an older sister, who is married and settled.

Do you remember your first dialogue that you mouthed for the silver screen? Yes, very clearly. It was for Mr. India. There was a scene where I had to say, “Arun bhaiyya, mujhe bhook nahi lagi hai” (smiles). Are there any behind-the-scene incidents from Mr. India, that you would always cherish? As you rightly said, Read More">Read More

Do you remember your first dialogue that you mouthed for the silver screen?
Yes, very clearly. It was for Mr. India. There was a scene where I had to say, "Arun bhaiyya, mujhe bhook nahi lagi hai" (smiles).

Are there any behind-the-scene incidents from Mr. India, that you would always cherish?
As you rightly said, that Mr. India was a cult film. So, even my experience was a cult one, a beautiful one for that matter! In terms of mischief, there were 10 monstrous kids who were extremely difficult to handle. Besides them, there were 6 guys and 4 women. I really want to say Hats Off to Shekhar Kapoor for his ability to be patient all the time and control all the kids very efficiently. Anil Kapoor was friendlier than Sridevi on the sets. All of us had a grand time. Every time, we used to constantly play on the sets and break something or the other. Most of us didn't even know what shooting was all about.
Overall, the whole experience was totally fascinating.

Any moment that will always remain fresh about Mr. India?
There was this climax sequence whereby we were trying to escape from Mogambo's den. And the scene required Anil Kapoor to pick me up along with him and escape. Till the time he picked me up, I was in tension and nervous as to which kid he will pick up! Even though there were these soft rocks that were falling on us, I really hoped that he should pick me up in that scene (Laughs)! And luckily, he did. I was holding onto his hand, till the time he came out of the den!

Post the super success of Mr. India, life must have changed dramatically for you… Yes, it did. But not to the extent that I lost my foot from the ground, I was always grounded as a person then, as I am even now. As a matter of fact, over a certain point of time, Read More">IRead More

Post the super success of Mr. India, life must have changed dramatically for you...
Yes, it did. But not to the extent that I lost my foot from the ground, I was always grounded as a person then, as I am even now. As a matter of fact, over a certain point of time, I started disliking the attention that I was getting. This was one of those times when one starts wanting his own space to be his own and not get intruded by anyone else. I was a very shy kid then.

You were also actively involved in sports.
I have played cricket, football, table tennis and badminton in school. I represented in badminton doubles and I represented Maharashtra in junior snooker. While I used to play cricket for my school, college and club.

Did you always wanted to become an actor?
The irony of my career is that although I was not that actively involved in dramatics in school, I started enjoying acting! I never, obviously thought at that point of time that it will become a career. But ads were followed by films. And one film lead to another and I had seven feature films in hand (Shahenshah, Chaalbaaz, Insaniyat amongst them) as a child actor. That also set the ball rolling for all the commercials etc...

As a kid, I used to admire cinema as much as I do now. I love the concept of acting, of being somebody else for a certain period of time and of standing in front of the camera and mouthing out dialogues in various locations and situations.

Are you in touch with any of the kids from Mr. India? I am in touch with Ahmed Khan, whom you all know has become a hotshot choreographer and then there is Karan Nath (son of the star-secretary Rikku Rakesh Nath). Besides them, I am not in touch with anyone. Aftab, Read More">we heard that yourRead More

Are you in touch with any of the kids from Mr. India?
I am in touch with Ahmed Khan, whom you all know has become a hotshot choreographer and then there is Karan Nath (son of the star-secretary Rikku Rakesh Nath). Besides them, I am not in touch with anyone.

Aftab, we heard that your mother always prioritized your studies over films. Is that true?
Yes it is. My mom was very persistent about my education right from the start. She just did not want my education to suffer regardless of what I was doing. While everybody was playing on the sets, I used to be sitting at one corner of the studios with my books and studying. It used to be very distracting. Even though I was not a scholar kid, I always used to manage to score above 70 % marks.

What was your favorite subject in school?
It was History.