Subhash K Jha

Mumbai

Abhishek Bachchan turned 28 on February 5, and the actor said he was already feeling old and was too busy working to get time to date. Excerpts of an interview:

How do you feel at 28?

Old.

How was your birthday this time?

Nothing much. For me the best way of celebrating is to work. I shot for ‘Dhoom’ and then went home to bring in my birthday. Close friends Goldie Behl, Sonali Bendre, Apoorva (Lakhia) and Rohan (Sippy) and Sikandar (Kher) dropped in for dinner.

This year, you’ve been gifted with a Casanova’s image?

I’m not amused or embarrassed. I’m just amazed that people have so much free time on their hands to write all this. If everyone is interested in my love life I’m very flattered. But at the end of the day, I find it childish.

I don’t believe in such speculations. I’m too busy to be dating all these lovely women. You should be asking people who write such things why they’re doing it.

You’ve just been nominated for two supporting actor awards in ‘Zameen’ and ‘Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon’.

Wow! I’m happy. But I don’t believe such

demarcations exist any more. A role is a role. You’ve to know what you’ve done and be happy with it. I’m very happy with these two films. And if my performance has been appreciated it’s because of the hard work put in by the entire team.

I firmly believe no performance can exist in a vacuum. At the end of it all, leading man, supporting actor... these are all slots. A slot is a slot, and let’s leave it that.

I don’t think you were a supporting actor in ‘Zameen’.

Even if I was, I’m happy with it. I can only do the roles I get. I’ll work hard in whatever I do. Even in my next release ‘Run’, I don’t think I’m doing a lead role. I’m just playing a part in the larger picture.

Last year there was an avalanche of releases from you.

Unfortunately for the movie-going public, the same will happen this year as well. I’m sure everyone is fed up of watching me. But I love being busy. This year I’ve four-five releases, including ‘Run’, Mani Rathnam’s ‘Yuva’, Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Naach’, Revathi’s ‘Dhoop’, Yash Chopra’s ‘Dhoom’ and hopefully Raj Santoshi’s ‘Ranveer’.

What do you do to have fun?

I act in films. I go out with my friends. I spend time with my family.

Will you continue to be the eligible bachelor this year?

That’s not up to me. It’s a reputation given to me by people of your fraternity. So you tell me what I should do.