Most newcomers would feel nervous about their debut, but Ashmit Patel is confidence personified. Actress Amisha Patel's younger brother has followed in his sister's footsteps and hopes to join Bollywood's pantheon of star-actors.
Ashmit is sure his first step in this direction, Vikram Bhatt's Inteha, will appeal to the box office. The film, which costars Nauheed Cyrusi (Supari) and will introduce newcomer Vidya Malavde, hits the big screen on October 24.
"I have seen the film three times. I loved it. So did the others who have seen the film," Ashmit assures rediff.com.
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"I have been very honest in my work," he adds. "I did my job sincerely. Now, I hope my future is bright in the industry."
Asked why he is convinced Inteha will woo the audience, Ashmit replies, "The film has a good script written by Mahesh Bhatt. It is directed by Vikram Bhatt and the music by Anu Malik is brilliant. I am slightly nervous but I am confident the film will do well for me.
"Besides, it is an action thriller. It has lots of twists and turns. This will especially appeal to the youth. They will also be able to relate to it because it stars young people like me and my other co-stars."
The last two releases from the Bhatt camp have not done too well at the box office. Even this does not faze Ashmit. "I know Saaya and Footpath didn't fare well," he says, "but I have a gut feeling that we will be third time lucky with Inteha."
He is, however, critical of reviewers who pan films while ignoring the hard work that goes into their making.
"I know some films are badly made, but it is not right for critics to make fun of them. They should at least see the hard work which people have put in to make the film. So many people are involved. They spend days and nights to make a film," he says.
Ashmit says he thoroughly enjoyed shooting for Inteha. "We began shooting for the film in Ooty and Mumbai. We took only 70 working days to complete the film which I think is great," he grins.
But he bristles when asked if his sister, Amisha, gives him tips on emoting. "We are both very independent. We never interfere in each other's life. She has never come to my sets to see how I act. In fact, I don't like being compared to her. It is like Abhishek Bachchan being compared to Amitabh Bachchan. Abhishek has done so many films, so why should he always be compared with his father?" he asks.
Ashmit is also upbeat about his next film, Murder, which will be directed by Anurag Basu. "The film has another hero, Imran Hashmi, and Malika Sherawat. It will be shot in Bangkok. I am looking forward to its release," he says.
For now, though, he is busy making plans for October 24. "I will be outside the theatres to see how the audiences are responding to Inteha. I don't know what kind of moment it will be, but I am looking forward to it because it will make or break me."
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