I've still not watched Thanks Maa

Confesses 13-year-old Shams Patel, the recipient of the Best Child Artist Award at the 56th National Awards...
You bagged the Best Child Artist Award for your role in Thanks Maa. When did you get the news?
It was my sports day at school when my mother called up to say that my having won an award is being flashed in the news. I started jumping with joy. Also, Irfan Kamal, the director of Thanks Maa, called up to congratulate me on my win.
Did your friends and teachers ask the reason behind such response?
No, because I did not tell them anything at that point of time.I wanted to be absolutely sure before I shared the news with anyone else. It was only after two to three days that they themselves started
congratulating me as by then, the news was out everywhere.
So, how did acting happen?
Thanks Maa is my debut film. Truth is, I never thought of taking up acting. But it was all because of Irfan Kamal, who is also my mama, that things got rolling. There was an acting workshop for two months at a school where auditions for Thanks Maa were on. There were some 50 kids or so. And seeing their skills before the camera, I was damn nervous. But, my first round went okay. Then mama asked me to give it my best shot and I kept pushing myself. The entire unit liked me and hence, I grabbed the role.
Did anyone say that Irfan being your mama, the role would have come to you?
Not at all. My mama was very strict with me and Like I said the entire unit liked my performance.
Everyone wants their first film to be grand. What about you?
I also wanted my debut to be grand, with nach, gaana and stuff. But I wasn’t disappointed when I got the role of Municipality in the film that deals with how a few street kids find an abandoned kid and care for him.
Do you want to be as famous as a Darsheel Safary after the film releases?
I want to be famous. And I think kids my age will like the film provided they are allowed to watch it as the film has an ‘A’ certificate.
But have you seen yourself onscreen?
The funny part is in spite of being part of the venture, I’ve still not watched it. I have to wait till I am 18. And now I am only 13. I even complained to my mom, but she said ‘A rule is a rule’.
Do you wish you had started with a children’s film?
You bet, sometimes I wish I had started off with a children’s film.
Now that you have made a start in Bollywood, do you want to continue acting?
If I get good work, I will. Maybe if I get a good film opposite Salman Khan, I will. In fact, I did get an offer for a foreign film, but my mother said no.
What if your mom says no to a film that has Salman?
I’ll convince her saying, ‘Please let me act with Salman’.
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