What’s up Imran Khan’s sleeve?

According to the trade buzz, actor Imran Khan’s already being touted to be in the league of the gen-next stars following the Khan trio. But ask Imran about it and he says that he’s not setting that as a finish line for himself. “There’s a long way for me to go before I can boast of the kind of work that Aamir, Salman or Shah Rukh have done. I hope to someday reach that point, but there are no benchmarks I am setting for myself,” explains the youngest Khan on the block. That’s also why he insists that number-talk or comparisons with peers like Ranbir Kapoor don’t worry him at all. “I’m not running a race here. I don’t look at whether I am coming first or second. What matters to me is that at the end of it all, when I look back I want to have done films that I am proud of. Whether I finish first or last is not on my mind,” he says.

And not worrying about competition, he adds, is also what keeps him from staying in his comfort zone. “I always go in with a feeling that I have nothing to lose,” adds Imran.

Shedding his ubercool image that he’s acquired, thanks to his roles right since his debut to this year’s early hit Ekk Main Aur Ek Tu, Imran’s next sees him in a rustic role. “It was a risk, I agree, for me to move away from the image that people have come to associate me with, but that’s what I want to do as an actor... take a leap of faith with every film. What’s the point in churning out carbon copies of yourself with each film?” quips Imran as he refers to his upcoming Vishal Bhardwaj film Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola that sees him in a Haryanvi avatar.

This is also the first time that he’s working with an established filmmaker, as opposed to the newbies he’s been working with so far. “I was very nervous working with Vishal considering the kind of work he’s been associated with. But he was a surprise. He gives you a lot of freedom as an actor, and that responsibility not only keeps you on your toes and goads you to work harder, but it also helps you grow. I’m happy I managed to pull off the character in that way.”

Point out that all this while he’s also managed to stay away from controversies and link-ups, and he says, “I am not complaining,” he laughs, putting up his hands in mock relief. On a serious note he adds, “More often than not, these controversies and affairs are all rumours. I am happy that I don’t need to rely on such tactics to stay in the news.”