Sunday Herald

Interview with actor Faisal Khan

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Faisal Khan

The Dancing Star

He has won two dance reality shows on television and has played the lead in a historical series on Maharana Pratap. This speaks volumes for his talent. And make no mistake he is only 18 years old. Meet the young and dynamic Faisal Khan.

Rewind

Faisal started his television journey when he was only 13 when he participated in the show    Dance India Dance (DID) Li’l Masters 2 which he eventually went on to win. So I start by asking him how and when he got his first break? “When I was in school, I used to always participate in dancing competitions as a lead dancer. I went to other schools as a participant too. I loved and enjoyed dancing. I also took to training to become a dancer. With the help of my dance guru, I participated in a lot of popular dance shows. I was 14 when I auditioned for Dance India Dance and 2012 is the year when I won the trophy.” The show was in a way that start of his career on television. So was being a performer something he always had on mind? “I was too young to think about what I wanted to do or wanted to pursue as career. I never even thought about the fact that I will be an actor one day. The opportunity just came my way and I got lucky. But as a kid while watching television, I would be fascinated by the recognition and was very inspired by our heroes, heroines and anybody well known. And it was then that I knew, that whatever I do in life I want to be a celebrity.”

History Beckons

While Faisal has been part of several shows, arguably his role as the young Pratap in the serial Maharana Pratap garnered him a lot of attention and praise alike. “I have done more of dance reality shows than fiction ones. People knew me as dancer from DID after which I was offered Maharana Pratap. Though I don’t have many shows to my credit, as an actor, Maharana Pratap will always be my first and most memorable role. Maharana Pratap as we know is not some filmy character that comes and goes, he was a great ruler and a very well known historical name. I was never trained as an actor. So when acting, it taught me a lot, not only as an actor but also to be a good and humble human being. It also gave me chance to work with some big channels and production houses and it truly was an important break for my career.”

Dance Calling

Faisal has also won the popular dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa – season 8 so I ask him what is the importance of dance in his life and he says, “I love dance. It is my obsession. Dance comes naturally to me, sometimes even more than acting. Whatever I am today, it is all because of dance. It is a very important part of my life. It has given me name, fame and just about everything. Acting came later to me, I was first appreciated as a dancer.”  Being a student Faisal juggles acting and studies together and says it has not something he is bothered too much about. “I sometimes still wonder why people even ask me this. If you are interested in something then to take time out for it, it will not be difficult. Everything is manageable if you like what you are doing. I have so much to do!  Studies, dancing and acting, but I believe that four hours of studying everyday is enough and for the rest of my time I can work on improving my other skills. I believe that if any child studies for a good 4 hours a day, he or she can even become a scientist.”

Looking Ahead

Faisal also participated in the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi season 7 and has been part of shows like Dance Ke Superkids, India’s Best Dramebaaz and DID Dance Ka Tashan. he has also made special appearances on shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and C.I.D. This year he was also part of an Indonesian soap opera Tuyul & Mba Yul Reborn. He has won several awards too and says he looks at awards as a result of how one works. “It is an important appreciation for the good work one does. Awards are very important to me. It gives me motivation to work even harder and to do my best.” Outside work, Faisal loves spending time with his close friends and family. “Whenever I am not working, I love spending quality time with my family and friends and I also like travelling and going for vacations.” Looking ahead he says he has not made any plans and is just going with the flow. “Though I always keep a check on things I do, I also make sure that I am not going over or against my morals. So even in the future, whatever I do I will make sure it never affects my values,” he concludes.

This story appeared in the June 25th issue of Deccan Herald’s Sunday Herald here.

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