Shiney Ahuja on his comeback!

Shiney Ahuja, who was convicted and jailed for raping his domestic help in 2009, is all set to make a comeback in showbiz with WELCOME BACK. After gaining recognition for his performance in critically-acclaimed HAZAARON KHWAISHEIN AISI (2005) and winning the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for the same, the actor went on to appear in several successful films until destiny took an ugly turn and put a full stop to his flourishing career. In a candid conversation with Bollywood & TV Reporter, Mohnish Singh, the actor talks more about his role in the comic caper, upcoming projects, personal life and how does it feel to return to Bollywood after being out of business for long. Here are the excerpts.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN THE MOVIE?

I am playing Honey in this film. He is the only son of a powerful don, Wanted Bhai, a character played brilliantly by Nasseruddin Shah. Honey’s mother passed away when he was very young, so his father leaves no stone unturned to provide him with all the luxury and happiness of the world, which kind of makes him reckless. At first sight my character may look spoilt and impudent, but he is a good person at heart.

HOW DID YOU COME ONBOARD FOR THIS PROJECT?

I received a call from the casting director of the film. He was looking for an actor who could play a rich spoilt man. He thought I would fit the character well. I then met director Anees Bazmee who narrated me the entire story. I loved the character very much and said ‘yes’ immediately. This is the first time I will be seen in a comic avatar, and I am quite excited about it.

THE FILM BOASTS OF AN ENSEMBLE STAR CAST. HOW WAS THE BONDING WITH OTHERS ON SETS?

There are almost ten main characters in the film and I am working with most of them for the first time. It has really been a wonderful experience sharing screen space with such an established star cast. I have done a multi-starrer LIFE IN A… METRO before, but since every character in the film had an individual story to tell, I could not spend much time with them. Our shooting schedule used to be at different time, so there was no such thing as bonding. But with WELCOME BACK, things were different. There are multiple scenes where the entire cast is shown in one frame. So it was really an unforgettable experience. I know John from the days of modeling, so my rapport with him was different that what it was with others. John and I would talk about food, gym and all in midst of our shoot.

YOU ARE RETURNING TO FILMS AFTER A LONG GAP. ARE YOU READY TO COMPETE WITH THE NEW CROP OF ACTORS?

Yes, provided I am given good roles.

HAVE YOU PUT YOUR PAST BEHIND?

Not really. No one can put one’s past behind. And I think there is no need to do so. Each and every experience that you go through in your life teaches you something or the other. I am not ready to forget what my family and I went through in the past. My past has made me a far better person today. It has brought me even closer to my family.

AFTER WELCOME BACK, HOW OFTEN WE ARE GOING TO SEE YOU ON SCREEN?

It will be too early to comment which projects I am going to be a part of as nothing has been finalized yet. But yes, there are a couple of projects which, if all goes well, I might give a nod to. There is one project with Sudheer Mishra as well. But as I mentioned, it is too early to comment anything.