So Shiney Ahuja was destined to make his comeback in films with a movie titled Welcome Back. The actor is trying to find his feet in Bollywood six years after his alleged involvement in a rape case. As of now, he continues to be on bail by the Bombay High Court, pending hearing of his appeal, which was admitted in April 2011. The actor exclusively talks to The Quint about the case, what keeps him going, his comeback and why justice should go both ways – not just for the complainant.
Q: There has been a long gap since your last film release. How does it feel?
Shiney: I am happy, excited and nervous that the movie is releasing now. Although I couldn’t share much of my excitement as I was in Manila for two months – June and July as my daughter Arshiya’s holidays were on. I just got back.
Q: What was it like to go back to acting? What was the first day like?
Shiney: It was a year and half ago. I could relate it to the first day of my shoot when I did Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. On the first day generally you tune in to your co-actors, director and crew members.
Anil Kapoor came and hugged me and said, “Welcome back!”, also the name of our film and we all laughed. I had met him first when I auditioned for his production Gandhi vs Gandhi.
Q: How was it working with the team of Welcome Back? The film has a huge ensemble cast.
Shiney: John and I have known each other earlier, so we started off from where we left. There was some friendly banter. I was working with Nana Patekar for the first time. I have met Naseeruddin sir many times and worked with Paresh Rawal in Bhool Bhulaiya. So it was good to be among colleagues. I have just gotten to know now Anees. He came and stood by me when it mattered.
Q: The genre of Welcome Back is completely different from the romantic, brooding intense roles you have done in the past.
Shiney: Overthinking isn’t too healthy. In a film like this, once you seep in and understand the script, you let go and enjoy the take. That’s the spirit of such a film – the ability to laugh at yourself and take your character and yourself lightly and yet be totally prepared.
Q: What were you doing in these three years?
Shiney: I was waiting for the right film. I wrote a couple of ideas for films but nothing concrete. I spent a large amount of time with my family.
I pick up and drop my daughter to school, spend evenings playing with her, watched a film every day, played a lot of soccer. You learn to live with it. We just go about our daily lives. The more you think about it, you stress yourself. There’s no point. You just take each day as it comes and do what you need to do.
Q: What kept you motivated through this time?
Shiney: Anu, my wife has been my strength throughout emotionally and otherwise. We as a family have been there for each other.
Arshiya, my daughter is the biggest source of strength. Normalcy is a good thing in life. One should always be grateful for that. Every experience good or bad, straight or not, left or right changes us. Change is a constant in life. That happens. So that way I have grown. But the basics are the same, how I used to be.
Q: Has the case moved? What is the update on that?
Shiney: The case is pretty much where it was. Three days after the complaint, my case was fast tracked by the Chief Minister. If the case is fast tracked, it should be fast tracked for both parties.
We put in our appeal against the conviction, which is still to be heard and then we put in appeal for bail, which was accepted. But we are still waiting for our appeal about my innocence to be heard which is my constitutional right. 0ur chance to put in our evidence in front of the court hasn’t happened yet.
Q: When you get back to films, the attention is bound to come back to the case. Would that affect your appeal in any manner?
Shiney: I don’t know. But I can’t keep sitting at home. I have to work.
Q: And acting is what you want to continue doing?
Shiney: This is all I know and want to do. That too I am learning every day. It’s an ever evolving, ever learning profession.
Q: You too were approached for an international film just before this incident about three years ago. Are the offers still coming in?
Shiney: Once am back on screen, people notice, things will fall into place. Right now, industry people may have a lot of questions - how will he be on-screen? You have seen him act a couple of years back and have expectations from him – does he deliver or not?
In our industry you are as good as your last hit. Right now I am as good as the previous work, I have done. Now it’s time, I do something else. Some interesting scripts have come so I am reading those now.
Q: How will Anees’s Welcome Back help you showcase the range of acting, you have displayed in your previous films?
Shiney: If you are asking whether this film will get me back where I left, the answer is no. But it surely will be a stepping-stone in that direction. And that is important right now. Every film I have done from Hazaaron… to Gangster, Metro, Woh Lamhe or Bhool Bhulaiya have been very different from each other. Trying different genres is a good thing.
(The writer is a journalist and contributing author of ‘The Indian Woman’, ‘30 Years of Vinod Chopra Productions’ and an upcoming book on Paan Singh Tomar. Follow her on Twitter: @priyankajain1)
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