For me it’s from Bollywood to Hollywood – Ameen Khan

Weekend Magazine: How can a talented Nigerian actor who just migrated to India break into Bollywood?
Ameen Khan: Hard work! You really have to work hard because it is like almost everyone is talented here. Almost a whole family can be into Bollywood and you have to work hard in order to break into it.
WM: Generally, what is life like in the film industry in India?
Khan: The life here is good and some of the Bollywood actors are respected a lot. The way you will see an actor escorted in this country, you will think maybe he is either a governor or minister. There is really a lot of respect for Bollywood entertainers.
WM: How true is the notion of discrimination in Bollywood?
Khan: Well, there is, to some extent and I don’t really find it funny. Even in the South there are some dark-skinned Indians, because I started my career in that region. But on a daily basis, it is gradually easing out.
WM: What are you working on now?
Khan: I just finished shooting a music video, which is set to be released soon.
WM: What are some of the challenges in Bollywood?
Khan: Like I said earlier, it is all about family business and the industry has gone far. If you are new on this terrain, getting a role will not be as easy as you might have envisaged as it is a big industry, but also very challenging.  It is an industry that people and families are making billions from on a daily basis. They would always prefer to bring in family than bring in an outsider. So it is really a big challenge getting in.
WM: Why aren’t you back to Kannywood yet?
Khan: Kannywood is good and they are stepping up, but actually I haven’t really ever thought of joining Kannywood. And I don’t think I have any plans to join anytime soon.
WM: Do you hope to have any collaboration with them in the future?
Khan: Yeah, I used to speak with some of the directors, producers and even the actors. And sometimes we share ideas. So yes, there are several possibilities for collaboration.
WM: What is it that Kannywood isn’t getting right that you think if they got it right they can get people like you and even Salman Khan to feature in their movies?
Khan: They should start shooting movies and not plays. Once they develop, I can join them.
WM: What is a typical day like for you?
Khan: Sometimes I go for a ride early in the morning and sometimes in the evenings also. I am mostly on my own as I don’t really keep friends. I have limited number of friends because I stay alone. I don’t keep them because I feel that some of them don’t really make sense. Friendship here is all about money.
WM: Now that you have been able to make a mark in Bollywood, do you plan on moving to Hollywood soon?
Khan: That is my next big step. I have plans to delve into Hollywood which is where everyone hopes to be one day.
WM: Having been in Bollywood for years now, you must have learnt some of the choreography which is a part of that industry. How easy was it for you to learn?
Khan: Everything you do here you have to go for rehearsals. I speak Hindi but I do go for dialogue rehearsal because of the pronunciations. I have some people who write my songs and every word I have to get it right because this is not my mother tongue. They take a lot of time in shooting a video here in Bollywood, like the last movie we did, it took us 16 days to shoot apart from the rehearsals. But in Nigeria it will just take 10 hours to do that.
WM: So you also agree that the time frame also affects the finished movies?
Khan: Yes. That is why we need that rehearsal, so does the film industry in Nigeria.
WM: When last did you visit Nigeria?
Khan: Three years ago now.
WM: Who are your role models in the Bollywood industry?
Khan: I always go for the best and Shah Rukh Khan is the best.
WM: Have you met him one on one?
Khan: Yes I have met him several times. Though, I haven’t shot any movies with him but I introduced myself to him and he told me I am the second Nigerian that he was meeting.
WM: You are still single. Do we see the possibility of you getting married to an Indian lady anytime soon?
Khan: I really can’t tell.
WM: Why did you ditch your Nigerian name for an Indian one?
Khan: I didn’t ditch my name for an Indian one. When I first arrived in India and when people asked me for my name I would tell them Ameen and they would immediately add Khan to it. And that was how the name followed me to the movie industry. My real name is Ameen Abdullah.
The place I started living in India was a Muslim community so most of them are using Khan so they decided to add that to my name even though I told them my surname was Abdallah.