When Himesh Reshammiya said people’s expectations from him as actor are very low: ‘I want to win them over’

Himesh Reshammiya has worn many caps in his career, and we are speaking figuratively here. Debuting as a music composer with Salman Khan’s Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, he delivered a number of memorable albums whose music we hum to the day — Tere Bin, Humraaz, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and many more.

Himesh also has his band of fans as a singer. Starting with Aashiq Banaya Aapne, he has delivered hits such as Tera Suroor, Zara Jhoom Jhoom and Lagao Na. While his nasal style of singing gets divisive reactions, no aspect of his career has been scrutinised as much as his acting. Beginning with Aap Ka Suroor, Himesh has done 10 films. The multi-hyphenate told indianexpress.com that he wants to win over people who think he can’t and shouldn’t act.

Himesh had said, “Singing comes very naturally to me, but when it is about acting, debates starts where many people say ‘why Himesh is acting?’. I have done ten films as an actor, but people’s expectations from me as an actor are very low, and that drives me to work very hard. I have tried to improve with every film with my looks and my performances. Every Friday is a game changer, my films have done good business and my acting has been appreciated in Expose.”

Himesh also thinks that there is a debate about him being an actor as no musician has succeeded at it before. “I personally look at the debate that comes with me being an actor as something normal, as we, in India, don’t have a musician who is in the top ten superstar category, and well, I am trying that. I’m trying to win their hearts,” he said.

When asked if he knows that he is taken far more seriously as a musician than as an actor, Himesh said, “I believe I can act. Some people’s point of view is that I can’t act. But I know I can do a good job and I need a right script and a director who can mentor, and support. Also, I when it comes to producers, some of them are happy with me as they are getting business. However, in terms of directors, I am not getting the kind of support I need.”

Himesh, with every movie wants to improve his skill. He says, “This debate is also there because I haven’t even proved myself as an actor. It is not that I am giving an Oscar winning performance and I am not getting my due. I need to improve my skill as I did in music, and I am working hard. I am trying to bring a balance where you see the character I’m playing, and not me…”

 

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Himesh also shares how he started his acting with modest beginnings, by doing small roles in big films, but that didn’t work and hence he wanted to be a hero in his films. He said, “I have been a part of a John Mathew Matthan film, and I have learnt so much from him, from (Mahesh) Bhatt sahab, Satish (Kaushik) ji, but somehow those films didn’t work for whatever reason. Sometimes the budget was too high, sometimes I was not good in a film, I did not put as much effort as I should have, I wasn’t physically fit, today I am. I didn’t work on my characters either. I was always overworked, all that I wanted to do was to earn some money even through acting. Shekhar Kapoor once, while shooting Tera Suroor, asked me what my intent was as an actor and I told him that earlier it was about making some money. Now things are different, I want to do films where I can prove that I can be an actor too.”

With every project Himesh takes up as an actor, he wants to win over people who think he can’t act. “I am trying to win the over, they have their point of view. There is a section of people who think and say that musicians shouldn’t act, that they can’t be superstars, and we have a track record where musicians haven’t done more than a couple of films in their entire career, and I want to be a game-changer,” concluded Himesh.

Himesh Reshammiya spoke to indianexpress.com during the promotions of his last film Happy Hardy and Heer (2020).