Maanoranjan

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">He gave Punjabi pop an unmbeatable place in the world of pop music two decades back. And then made a love story set in the time of partition, Shaheed-e-Mohabbat. Pop-singer-turned-actor Gurdas Maan is now ready with his second film, Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai. Also starring Tabu, Divya Dutta and Rajit Kapoor, it’s directed by Manoj Punj.The film centres around a mentally challenged girl and of course, the main characters are played by Tabu and Maan. Says he about the film which will be released this Friday, “Jis tarah se filmein aa rahi hain aur jaa bhi rahin hain, thodi si anxiety hai.� <br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Excerpts from an interview: What’s Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai all about?</span><br />It’s taken off from my experiences I have had in the course of my career as a pop singer with special children – those who are physically and mentally challenged. I have had interactions with little children who simply adore me for my work. They love my singing and share a bond with me, which is almost magical. I can’t begin to tell you the number of special children I have met in India and on my shows abroad who have this almost divine-like quality, maano mujhse Rab baat kar raha ho (It is as is God Himself was speaking to me through them). All these experiences of mine led to a story, which my writer Suraj Sanim later developed into a script. So the mentally challenged girl in my film is a character based on all those children I have met who have made me the singer I am. The film is about her and also the relationship between Tabu and me, a band singer aspiring to be hero. <br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">What made you sign Tabu for the role? Were you confident that she would agree to do it?</span><br />Having seen Tabu’s work, especially after Maachis, we knew the role was right up her alley. When we narrated the story to her, she liked her character and it was nothing short of a miracle when she said ‘yes’ to it. Her presence has made all the difference. Besides, the range of emotions which she can bring to her role, shayad hi aur koi laa sakta hai (Very few can match that).<br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Why didn’t you think of casting a more commercially viable hero in the film?</span><br />(Smiles) In fact, I did mention this to my producer and my team that we should cast a more saleable hero but they reasoned that since the story was taken out from my personal life, only I could portray the character better. So that’s how I am in the film.<br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Why haven’t you sung your own songs in the film?</span><br />Because the songs in my film have a softer mood. They are all situation-based and so, they required to be sung in a subdued manner. I, being a pop singer, am used to performing live. I can’t restrain myself. I can be very loud and that would have affected the songs. That’s why other playback singers have sung them. <br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">When will you come out with your next pop album?</span><br />I have a few ideas but I will venture into nothing till this film is out of my way. </div> </div>