Keeping tabs8230;

Aftab Shivdasani insists that he hasn't gone nuts from all the recent attention. He's got his heard planted firmly on his shoulders, he te...

Aftab Shivdasani insists that he hasn8217;t gone nuts from all the recent attention. He8217;s got his heard planted firmly on his shoulders, he tells Rajeev Masand

He says he owes gratitude to Boney Kapoor and Ramesh Taurani for showing faith in his talent at a time when most producers were skeptical about whether he might be able to carry off a film on his frail shoulders. quot;I wasn8217;t expecting my life to change so considerably,quot; Aftab reveals. quot;I did expect a little fame, but I could never have guessed that things would go so out of hand,quot; he adds. Once critics reacted favourably to his performance in Mast, Aftab says people8217;s attitudes started changing. quot;Mere acquaintances began treating me like their best friend, and people I didn8217;t know at all began smiling at me,quot; he says, making it a point to mention that his close friends didn8217;t change one bit. quot;I respect my buddies for respecting my work, and for supporting me unconditionally,quot; he says.

But not everything has been rosy8230; quot;Suddenly I8217;m so busy that I haven8217;t been to my local club 8212; where I8217;ve spent a large part of my life before Mast 8212; for three months,quot; he says. Also, Aftab complains that he has become the target for regular criticism from an afternoon tabloid, which he insists quot;has been getting at me continuously for no reason I can think of.quot; Denying rumours to the effect that he8217;s bought himself a swanky apartment in Lokhandwala, two fancy cars and a hip new wardrobe, Aftab says it8217;s all a load of rubbish. quot;I love my house in Churchgate too much. Commuting to the suburbs might be a bother, but I can live with it,quot; he assures you. The young actor also begs you not to pay any attention to stories linking him with co-star Amisha Patel. quot;My long-distance relationship with my girlfriend is very much on,quot; he says, revealing excitedly that his sweetheart is likely to be in Mumbai soon.

And although he has become an overnight celebrity, Aftab confesses he8217;s not always given the royal treatment. quot;I rarely have to wait for a table at a crowded restaurant,quot; he admits, but adds that he did have to wait in queue for a whole 45 minutes while applying for his visa at the American Consulate. quot;In a way, I guess it8217;s good that things like that happen, because they help me keep my head firmly on my shoulders.quot;

His family, whose joy knew no bounds when Aftab earned his stardom despite the failure of his launch vehicle, continues to be his biggest fans. quot;They are still so excited everytime they read an interview of mine, or see a photograph of mine on a hoarding,quot; he says. For his own part, he8217;s excited about a forthcoming Ramgopal Varma production that he will feature in alongwith Manoj Bajpai, Fardeen Khan, Sonali Bendre and Neha. He8217;s also visibly elated about the prospect of shooting in Scotland and Switzerland for Rajiv Rai8217;s next with Sunil Shetty and Arjun Rampal. quot;I guess I am thankful for all the wonderful opportunities that I have been provided with at such an early age,quot; he says humbly. quot;I just hope I8217;m able to do justice to everything,quot; he adds, crossing his fingers for luck.