I’m a vampire when it comes to actors of certain age playing heroes: Adnan Siddiqui

Actor still playing the hero, despite being much older than his industry counterparts

From classics like Aroosa to the recent Mere Pass Tum Ho, Adnan Siddiqui is known for his striking performances in everything he signs up for. Of late, we’ve been seeing the ever-so graceful actor hit after hit as the main male lead.

“As I say myself, I’m a vampire when it comes to actors of certain age playing heroes. In Hollywood ‘age’ doesn’t exist. Even if you watch Iranian cinema, age discrimination does not take place, be it a man or a woman. But in Pakistan and India, after a certain age, the female actor goes from being a heroine to a baji,” Siddiqui said, in a latest interview with Mira Sethi.

The superstar believes that the entertainment industry has its own interests when it comes to a young female actor being paired off with an evidently older male actor. “Have you ever heard the saying that there’s an Aqeel Dedhi, then there’s a sugar daddy?” Siddiqui quipped.

Aroosa was the first ever serial Siddiqui did, alongside Mishi Khan. “My claim to fame will always be this. That’s why I am where I am today, infront of you and million others. It’s because of only one reason and that’s Uroosa. I was recognised because of that one serial and till day, what I earn and do is because of that.”

He continued, “If it weren’t for the first role I did, I wouldn’t have been Adnan Siddiqui or the actor you see. I would’ve been a starving actor but yes, acting is what I’m all about. I wouldn’t think about quitting it.”

Sethi then questioned Siddiqui about his shy poetic side. The actor’s father was a poet and he is known to occasionally dabble in a rhyme or two himself too. “I always had it in me, just like my father, to write and let my mind speak for itself. Of course, I’ve been helped by few friends but this only build up ardour for writing my thoughts, moments, ideas, opinions, etc. I must add my daughter writes wonderfully too,” he boasted about 16-year-old Maryam.

Speaking of fatherhood, one ought to take notes from Siddiqui’s approach. “I didn’t let my kids step anywhere near technology until they turned 13. Till this day, they have certain timings when they have to hand me their phones, tablets etc that are returned the next day in the morning,” he revealed. “I’m still trying to figure out whether I fall under the category of a strict or liberal father to a now teenage daughter. But I consider myself a liberal father because if I were to share all that my daughters do to my own father, I wonder how many slaps I would’ve earned for uttering such things!”

A heartthrob for many, how does Siddiqui feel about girls as young as Maryam crushing on him? “I always say look at a crush as a crush - nothing more. Admire if you will but then, when you start talking to your crush it doesn’t remain the same.”Asked if he were given an option to direct a film with a dream cast actor, what would it be like, Siddiqui admitted his favourite genre is action thrillers, specifically those with a spy theme. “I’m always fascinated by James Bond style films so theme spy is all that I’d be into if I were to make a film. But I’d love to do the role of main lead, the spy, as I fancy that a lot.”

He said he would like to cast Sethi in the film too.“I can’t forget my first day on the sets of Mom. Sridevi was sitting outside of her vanity where I was introduced by her husband and she welcomed me in the most openhearted way and took care of me from that day onwards.” Siddiqui, adding it was his third film but the 300th for the late Bollywood icon. He is all for the open exchange of arts and culture between Pakistan and India.

“Politics and the media are two different things. My job is to entertain; it’s nothing political. It goes the same way for actors across the border. We enjoy Bollywood films and they enjoy Pakistani dramas but all this appreciation is happening behind the closed doors.”