Time beckons!

Time beckons!

His debut film, Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi was meant to be a dream launch for everyone associated with it actors Rinke Khanna, Dino Morea, Sanjay Suri himself, director Raj Kaushal, producers Tiger Films, music director Vishal Dadlani but not too many benefitted from the film eventually.

Luckily for him, Sanjay Suri managed to make it despite the no-go result of the movie. Currently, he's a recognised model, and add to that the fact that he has a number of films lined up too. Only last week, the actor made his bow on television, in a serial called Yehi To Pyaar Hai. Strange that Suri is making a small-screen appearance when his film career is only just heating up... "Actually, this was a commitment I made some years ago, long before Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi happened," he says. "In fact, we'd even shot a few episodes two years ago. But it has only started rolling now," he adds. Suri hastens to mention that this is the only work he is doing on television. "I'm trying to concentrate on films for the moment," he says, sounding almost like he's forgotten about his stint at anchoring a television show (Indian Holiday) with Anu Malhotra some years ago.

Right now, he's happier talking about other things... Like his role in Kalpana Lajmi's Daman, for instance, where he plays the role of veteran actor Sayaji Shinde's younger brother. Suri is paired opposite Raveena Tandon in this film. Having just returned from Assam where he was shooting for Daman the past few months, the young actor is elated about the experience, insisting that he learnt a lot working with the lady film-maker.

He's also visibly excited about his role in Vashu Bhagnani's Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya where he works with Abhishek Bachchan and newcomer Keerthi Reddy. Then, there's also a film called Chalo Ishq Ladayen with Govinda and Rani Mukherji. "I suppose people liked my work in my first film, which is why I didn't get wiped out," he attempts to explain.

Of his role on television, Suri says he plays an aspiring musician trained in the US. "I'm a Rajput guy who falls in love with a gypsy girl (played by Nethra Raghuraman) when I return to my roots in Rajasthan," he reveals. He's not embarrassed or ashamed of his TV stint, but says he's certainly looking forward for an eventful inning on the big-screen these days.

Lata Khubchandani