Ghazal maestro Talat Aziz is part of the cast of Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpayee`s film `Gulmohar.` The veteran singer-actor spoke to mid-day.com and shed light on his upcoming projects.
How did you join the cast of `Gulmohar?`
I was approached by the director and production team, the character is not a singer, I play a family friend who happens to sing at a party. It`s just like people who sing when they are in a good mood, at least maine sur mein gaaya hai. The song is meaningful because it appears at the beginning of the film and through it the director has opened a lot of doors related to the plot.
How did the love for acting begin?
People will always know me as a singer first and then an actor, I`m a creative person. I don`t claim to be a superstar but I`m comfortable in front of the camera and slip into the character. There are a lot of technicalities involved but it`s something I have gotten used to, it also helps to have good co-stars like Sharmilaji (Tagore) and Manoj (Bajpayee.) I believe, acting is reacting.
Will you take on more acting parts?
I am playing a primary character in `Scam 2003`, Hansal Mehta`s next. I`ve shot a cameo for `Fighter` as Hrithik Roshan`s father. In fact I had to refuse a good series due to date issues.
What are your thoughts about the massive growth of OTT?
There has been a great revolution in entertainment post Covid where we are exposed to world cinema. Language is not a barrier anymore as long as the product is good. On the other hand there is so much choice that competition is much more.