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'I was scared to face the camera with Tabu'
Singer-turned-actor Gurdas Maan confesses he is a misfit in Bollywood
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To the rest of India, Gurdas Maan is known as the Bhangra entertainer.
In Punjab, where he hails from, he is a well-known actor as well.
The actor within Maan came to the surface when his Punjabi film
Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Buta Singh became a huge blockbuster. Extremely soft-spoken and humble, Gurdas Maan seems to a misfit in the world of showbiz.
With his Hindi release
Zindagi Khoobsurat Hai,just around the corner, Maan tells Subhash K Jha about his new film, working with Tabu and making music:
Why did you choose to act in films?
Before I did Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Buta Singh, I had already done 15 films, including three guest appearances. But this was our home production. Punjab and Punjabiyat had given me and my wife so much. Now it was our turn to repay the debt. Hence Shaheed-e-Mohabbat.
Frankly we never thought God would be so kind. Shaheed-e-Mohabbat was appreciated in every place with an Indian population. Even Pakistanis viewed the film with great affection.
Did you at any time think that your singing career would suffer because of acting?
I felt apprehensive about my time being divided and therefore hampering my singing career. Cinema is such a wide platform. To build my career as a movie producer and an actor seems an artistic challenge.
Why did you select Manoj Punj to direct both your Punjabi and Hindi productions?
I felt very comfortable with him during Shaheed-e-Mohabbat. Zindagi Khubsoorat Hai is much larger in canvas and scope. Although the impact of Shaheed-e-Mohabbat at the BO and international festivals made it bigger than a regional film.
I have tried to make a good film in Zindagi Khubsoorat Hai. It is completely different from the previous one. Though like Shaheed-e-Mohabbat this one too has a bearing on real life.
In what way?
I notice that mentally challenged children love music and the arts. I have had the opportunity to interact with such children.
Once at a show in England, at the Wembley Arena, some spastic kids came to meet me in the green room. One of the boys had got himself photographed with me about ten to 12 years earlier sitting on my lap. He was on a wheelchair; he showed me that old photograph. I will never forget the glimmer in his eyes.
That is when Zindagi Khubsoorat Hai was born. When that boy held my hand, I felt time had ceased to move. I realised how complete such children are in themselves. We think of them as inadequate. Actually, we are the inadequate ones.
Do you play Gurdas Maan in Zindagi Khoobsurat Hai?
No. I play an aspiring singer and actor. I am still a struggler, though not to this extent.
Why did you not sing all the songs ?
Every song has a diverse feel and mood to it. I am primarily a stage performer, not a playback singer. I did not think I would be able to lend the required softness for playback singing. I didn't have the confidence. When I heard my romantic duet with Alka Yagnik, I could not believe that was me singing.
How was the experience of working with Tabu and Divya Dutta?
I have already worked with Divya in Shaheed-e-Mohabbat. She is a wonderful actress. 
As for Tabu, I was very scared of facing the camera with such a brilliant actress. I learnt a lot about acting from her. When one works with a great talent like Tabu, one is bound to be enriched as a human being also.
Why are you releasing the film during the shraddh period?
Why do we look at this period as inauspicious? This period is, after all, devoted to our ancestors. And how can our ancestors wish us ill?
Do you intend to continue with your acting career?
After Zindagi Khubsoorat Hai is released, I intend to wrap up my Punjabi music album. The songs are written. They have to be recorded.
I am thinking of producing another Punjabi film. It is another different subject. Hopefully it will be as rewarding as Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Buta Singh. Manoj Punj will direct this film, too.
Any Hindi films?
If Zindagi Khoobsurat Hai succeeds, I will certainly do more Hindi films. Frankly, I find myself a misfit in Bollywood. I feel a little inhibited here. I will probably work in films that I am comfortable doing.
Are you comfortable singing in today's milieu?
Change is inevitable. But some things are constant. Film music is forever. In today's over-competitive world, I have to be even more resolute about the path I have chosen for myself as an artiste. My fans and audience will not let me slip. If I do, they send me accusatory letters as though they have a right to scold me. What more can I ask for?
Stage performer, recording artiste and actor. Which role do you enjoy most?
I love the stage most because that is where I started. Live performances allow you to interact directly with your audience. Audiences abroad especially hunger to watch me more than Indian audiences. I suppose it is because they are away from their roots.
Plus, the technical advantages such as the sound system provided to a live performer abroad creates a unique experience.