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'People will always make comparisons'

Fardeen Khan has returned to the spotlight. After his disastrous debut in Prem Aggan, the young actor is back with his second shot at stardom as the love-struck hero in Ramgopal Varma's Jungle, opposite oomph-girl Urmila. The promos of the film, now on air, seem promising -- what with Fardeen not just looking good but acting decently as well. For now, he shares his hopes for the future with rediff.com.

Tell us about Jungle and the role you play.

Jungle is a wild, incredible adventure. In this movie, I play a young, fun-loving city boy who is very much in love with his girlfriend. She gets involved in extraordinary circumstances and, as his love for her knows no bounds, he tries to help her. All this is complicated by the fact that she has to marry someone else.

What did it feel like to work with Ramgopal Varma and Urmila?

This is my first movie with Mr Varma. I have always been a fan of his work. We met, I suited the character he had in mind, and that's it. We shook hands on it. It's been a great experience working him, I have learnt a lot. As opposed to most actors who find Mr Varma's pace too fast, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't too difficult. I would give an arm and a leg to work with him again. Urmila, too, was very professional and considerate.

Could you narrate some interesting incidents that took place during the Jungle shoot?

There were many amusing incidents on the sets of Jungle. Once, there was even a wild elephant stampede -- we had to stay very silent as there was real danger of the elephants attacking us. Then, the crew was bitten by bamboo ticks and everyone had a rash.

What does acting mean to you? How does it feel to be compared to Hrithik, Abhishek and other star sons?

I read somewhere that acting is the oldest profession, even older than prostitution. And people will always make comparisons, irrespective of whether it is Hrithik or anyone else. I am satisfied with the work I have done and hope this film is a success. I did feel the tension in the beginning, but I have done my best for the film.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

I have quite a few movies coming up, including one with Mehul Kumar, another with Mahesh Manjrekar and one with E Niwas who did Shool. I have no hesitation about playing a villan in the future if the character in the story appeals to me. My work in the future would depend on what people think of my present work. It would be a boost to my career only if people decide they like it.

Fardeen Khan spoke to Namrata Nadkarni.