Twenty-six-year-old Saqib Saleem’s credits largely include television commercials and movies, and stretch back to 2011, when he made his debut with Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, followed by Mere Dad Ki Maruti in 2013. Both films were produced and distributed by Y-Films, a subsidiary of Yash Raj Films that makes youth-oriented films.
Last year, he starred in Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh, a short film, directed by Karan Johar, as a part of Bombay Talkies where his sensitive portrayal of a gay man (which involved kissing co-star Randeep Hooda) earned him critical praise. Surprisingly, unlike sister Huma Qureshi, Saqib had no plans of joining the film industry until he moved to Mumbai in 2009 to make a relationship work. “I moved in with my girlfriend, but I told my father that I want to live on my own for a year. And since Huma was here already, he was happy that I was going to live here. Two months later, I broke up with my girlfriend,” says the actor who started auditioning for ad films soon after.
“I had stage fright as a child, but after I did a cola commercial with Ranbir Kapoor, which was directed by Ayan Mukerji, I started enjoying the camera,” recollects Saqib, who was set to join his father’s restaurant chain Salleel’s in Delhi. A meeting with casting agent Shanoo Sharma (who also discovered Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor) “where everything went wrong,” and two auditions at Yash Raj Films led to him signing a three-film contract. Femina caught up with actor, here are the excerpts from the conversation.
Did having an actor sibling work to your advantage?
I’m an instinctive person and when I hear a story, I decide immediately. But there are times when I ask Huma for her opinion.
What were your thoughts while signing up for Bombay Talkies?
I was very worried about the kiss because I come from an orthodox middle-class Muslim family and I hadn’t told my parents about it. I didn’t have the courage to take them for the screening in Mumbai. They watched the film with their friends in Delhi. After watching the film, my mum said, “This is your best performance to date.” I think that’s the best form of recognition I could have asked for.
How different was your experience of working on Hawaa Hawaai?
There were no vanity vans, no elaborate hair and makeup set-up and just one spot boy for the entire cast. The child actors were very real and natural, and they helped me get in touch with that side of me.
When are you moving into your new house?
It will be a year before we can move into our new home. We want our parents to move in with us, as they’re getting old and we want to take care of them. I never leave home without kissing my mum.
What kind of a boyfriend are you?
I have been dating my girlfriend since 2011. She is really pretty and I asked for her BB pin the very first time we met, but what attracted me was her intelligence and unconditional love. I have seen unconditional love in Mum, and when I saw this trait in my girlfriend I knew I couldn’t let go of her. She is connected to the film industry and I cannot reveal anymore. I like to message or call her when she is least expecting it. So much so that if I’m awake at 3 am, I will call and tell her how I feel.