Iqbal admits getting right break in films is a struggle for outsiders
Before making it big on TV, actor Iqbal Khan tried his luck in the films. While his Bollywood stint didn’t work, the actor was well compensated on the small screen, with a number of hit shows coming his way. Now, with more opportunities on the web, he’s happy exploring it to the fullest.
Over the years, Khan has become more ‘practical’, and understood how difficult it is for outsiders in the industry. “I started my career with films but my first two projects (Fun2shh... Dudes in the 10th Century; 2003 and Bullet: Ek Dhamaka; 2005) didn’t work. I just didn’t know how to deal with the failure, it got me worried,” admits the actor.
And at that point, it was a question of survival in Mumbai, which made the actor look towards TV, to channelise his craft. “It’s not that I regret doing TV. I completely enjoyed the journey, but the dream was to become a film actor. So, my decision of doing TV was out of compulsion. I had to pay my next month’s rent at that time and I was ready to do anything that was offered, thankfully things worked,” he shares.
Asserting that it does take time to firm your feet in the Bollywood, Khan, 39, points that it’s even more difficult for outsiders. “For us, the only way to get noticed is through our performance. Also, for the film to do well at the box office, you need to work with right actors, producers and directors. Getting that break is a struggle for us,” he says.
After recently making his web debut with The Bull Of Dalal Street, Khan is open to working both on web or films, but is making choices more cautiously. “Unfortunately, the filmy crowd doesn’t look at TV in a positive way. But, the change is slowly happening.
Big filmmakers still don’t give TV that much importance. So, this time around, I want to take it slow. Meanwhile, web is satisfying my creative urge, ”Khan concludes.