‘Want people to know me by my real name’

Actor Pavan Malhotra seems to have made peace with the fact that he is not a star, and that people often fail to remember his (real) name, mostly referring to him as one of the many characters he has portrayed on the big screen.

“I know I’m not a star. Anyone can become a star in three months. You just have to constantly talk about that person in the media, and he or she will become a star. However, they won’t be able to survive stardom for long. I am not a star; I am an actor. People know me not as Pavan Malhotra, but as Salim Langda (from Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro; 1989) or Tiger Memon (from Black Friday; 2007),” he says.

While the actor has admitted in the past and continues to think that it’s a great compliment when fans address him by his onscreen characters, he wishes that things change soon.

“As much as I know it’s a great compliment, I would like people to remember my real name as well. It’s a good feeling when people come and tell you ‘Hi Pavan sir, we saw Black Friday or Mubarakan (2017), and you were great in it’. But that doesn’t happen. They just come to me and say, ‘Oh sir, you were Tiger Memon in Black Friday. Can we take a selfie with you?” he adds.

Pavan feels that this change is very important. “When people start recognising you by your real name, you realise that you have some credibility outside the industry as well. Why do other stars try to be seen in media so often? So that people remember their names,” he opines.

However, the actor is quick to add, “I’m not saying that I am unhappy or dissatisfied. I’ve been very lucky with the number of years I have spent in this industry, and the kind of work that I’ve done. But, it’s not really a great thing to know that people outside the industry don’t know your name, despite you being around for 35 years,” he concludes.

Actor Pavan Malhotra’s films include Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro (1989) and Black Friday (2007)