Star Interviews
Excl: Interview with Shaam
By Sri
Jun 8, 2009 - 5:08:08 AM

Shaam got into limelight with the film Kick in Telugu, but he is not a totally unknown face for Telugu audience, since some of his Tamil films were dubbed into Telugu. His 12 B was appreciated by everyone. Then, his films with Sneha and others were dubbed in Telugu too but ended up without success. This year is like a roller coaster ride for him. He got a good name with the film Kick, he met with two accidents, and almost six to seven films were gearing up for release. I tried to talk to him after the second accident, which happened last week, but he was shooting and his assistant didn't know English, and I cannot speak in Tamil though I can understand what he was saying. Finally, I caught up with him one late evening and spoke to him. TeluguCinema.Com readers get an exclusive transcript of our telephonic conversation:

Sri: What is your real name? Tell me about your background.
Shaam: Shamshuddin Ibrahim is my full name, and I shortened it to Shaam for convenience in films. I was born in the city of Madurai of Tamilnadu, but we moved to Bangalore when I was kid and I completed my B.Com. there. I always wanted to become an actor, but since I lacked film-related background, I thought of becoming a model.

Sri: Even becoming a model is not an easy thing! Did you get your break there?
Shaam: Bangalore was very famous for modeling at that time. I made my portfolio and started going around various model offices. I met people like Rahul Dev, Prasad Bidappa, etc. who gave me offers and valuable tips...

Sri: What ads did you work for?
Shaam: I did Kwality Icecream, a nightwear called One, and some other ads at that time. I also did ramp shows with Mark Robinson, Hemanth Trivedi, etc.

Sri: How did you finally lead yourself to films?
Shaam: I came to Chennai once to work on SatyamOnline ad, and the model coordinator Biju informed me that Jeeva Sir was looking for a fresh face to work on his debut film. I went and met him and he liked me immediately...

Sri: But, I thought you also did a role as Vijay's friend's role in Khushi.
Shaam: Yes, I did, but I was already doing the film 12 B then.

Sri: How was it working with Jyothika and Simran in your debut movie? They both were hot stars at that time!
Shaam: They both were very professional and very nice to me. Actually, I am still in touch with Jyo(thika) even after marriage. She is a real sweet and so is Surya. They are a very good couple...

Sri: Sunil Shetty also worked for that movie. How was it to work with him ?
Shaam: Sunil is a really sweet person. He gave really valuable tips and helped me a lot in the movie.

Sri: Are you still in touch with him?
Shaam: Yes, whenever I go to Mumbai, I call him and we talk.

Sri: So, is it a Bangalorean friendship? I think he's from around there too, right?
Shaam: (Laughs) No, he's from Mangalore, but both of us came from model background.

Sri: You did a lot of chocolate boy kind of roles in films, starting from 12 B, and in films films like Hey, Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke! (with Sneha) or Anbey Anbey (with Sharmilee) or Lisa Lisa (with Trisha and Madhavan) some were dubbed in Telugu too. But how come you never made it big?
Shaam: That's because south Indian audience regard heroes more when they do action-oriented roles. Even though they appreciate love stories, hero worship is only for the macho image and not the chocolate boy type. I even worked a film called Iyarkai, directed by debutant S.P. Jananathan and the film went on to win the national award in 2003, but the film suffered a delayed release due to financial problems and didn't make it big at the box-office, thus making all our hardships going unnoticed. Though I got a couple of offers from Telugu earlier too, they were never materialized due to various reasons.

Sri: So, how did Kick happen?
Shaam: One day Surender Reddy called me and said he got a good role of a cop in a Telugu film. I said he might have mistaken as most of the films I did were all lover boy image films, and that I never played a cop or something like it. He simply said that people don't know that they can use an artiste in different dimensions and that I can look different with a moustache and that I'd be apt for the role. It worked out!

Sri: Though you have some decent hits like Ullam Ketkumae, etc., you really didn't make it big yet, and you got a big hit now with Kick. And, I know you had two major accidents this year. Almost seven films are gearing up for releases too. How do you feel when you think all these at once?
Shaam: When things happens, they start happening all at once! That's what I feel. Even after the accidents, I am safe and that's because of God's grace and blessings of my well-wishers. I am doing a Malayalam film Koodaram, which is almost ready for the release, and a Tamil film Sivamayam, which will release the end of this year. I am soon leaving to Venice for the film Agampuram that's canning songs there. That film's shoot is in final stage too, and I am also doing a Tamil and Hindi bilingual titled Sariyaa. Two Telugu films are being discussed right now and may soon be finalized.

Sri: What happened to another Telugu film Cash and Maya which was announced to be made with you?
Shaam: There was some miscommunication between the producer and director. And, so, I am not doing it anymore.

Sri: Tell me about your love story.
Shaam: I have a friend named Kashish and she is a Punjabi. When we were in college we used to roam around with other friends. I felt then that she was the right choice, and the only choice, for me to last a life time. I proposed to her and she agreed too. Before joining in films, I gave two years for me to make it and then we got married. We have a daughter Samaira (meaning "eternal beauty") who is now two and half years old.

I wished him all the best for his films coming out soon and concluded the interview.

Edited by: NaChaKi
Interview: by  Sri Atluri