Airing Arif

Well, he is quiet but you can't miss the naughty twinkle in his eyes. He started his television career way back in the serial Chunauti. And ever since, he's tackled the small screen as one big chunauti -- and come out the winner.

Phillums...

``Yeah, that is starting too. A few years ago I did a film about eunuchs, Darmiyaan.'' Tabu and Kiron Kher starred in it along with Arif, but it was not a commerical venture -- it was more in the artsy category. Then he was in Deepa Mehta's 1947: Earth, opposite Kittu Gidwani. Working with Deepa Mehta was an experience for him, ``She is an excellent director and a beautiful person. She's god!!'' And that's not all he's got quite a few plum movies lined up for release. ``There is Refugee with J.P.Dutta, Abhishekh Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. And then I am doing a couple of good roles with director Iqbal Durrani and there is something in the box with Mahesh Manjrekar.''

I was looking at some pictures where he looked really cool, at places, and asked him who had clicked them. He gets his pictures done by Vicky Idnani, the guy who clicks Sushmita Sen too. Apparently Arif has had no formal training in acting but he believes that training does help a person on the sets. He is also working out nowadays, although he has been into sporting activities right from his chidhood. He is also learning martial arts from Ajay Marwar. So who knows, in few years time we may another of those fighting machines in the Indian film industry. Let's see what are his favorite things:

Fav Hangout: He loves to hang on his parallel bars.
Fav food: Continental, but also depends on the cook and the company he has.
Fav ators: Actor with a deep voice long hair and atleast 10 different expressions.
Fav actress: Usually with short hair and generally those who haven't too frequently been under the plastic surgeons's knife.
Fav singers (Indian): Shubha Mudgal, Jaspinder Narula
Fav singers (International) Male: Elvis Presley with an ``of course'', Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and Elton John
Fav female singer: Whitney Houston.

Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.