Ever since actor Mohammed Iqbal Khan made his television debut in 2003 with Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai, he had everyone’s attention. His foray into Bollywood happened with movies like Fun2shh ... Dudes in the 10th Century (2003), Bullet: Ek Dhamaka (2005), Unforgettable (2017) and Indoo Ki Jawani (2020). The 40-year-old actor jumped onto the OTT bandwagon with a spy thriller Crackdown last year and recently concluded the shooting for two more upcoming OTT shows. Iqbal has recently wrapped up the shoot for his role in the Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah starrer, Jalsa. A fitness enthusiast, he was one of the busiest actors during the first and second lockdown; however, what never stopped amid his busy schedule was his fitness routine. We got in touch with Iqbal to talk more about his work, how he maintained his fitness while working on back-to-back projects and more. Excerpts:
Tell us about your role in Jalsa?
Oh, we have to wait till we hit the right time to talk about the project. Everybody is bound by the contract, so I can’t talk about my role much. But I can surely say that the role is kickass and the film is amazing with some really power-packed performers. For me, it is always the story that is most important, and the compelling storyline of Jalsa made me go ahead with this project. It is a powerful, unique, and edgy tale of mighty characters and trying circumstances.
You started with TV and moved into films, was it a conscious decision and how’s the OTT platform treating you now?
I haven’t really moved from one medium to another. It is just that I was doing TV and then I was offered OTT. Then I got so busy with OTT that I did not find time to do anything else. I haven’t done TV in the last five years but it is not because I do not want to do it. It’s only because I am genuinely busy shooting for web shows. I am an actor and medium doesn’t really matter as long as the role is kickass. As far as OTT is concerned, it is treating me amazingly. It is like fuel for a creative person, whether you are a writer, director or actor. I can take a lot of creative liberty in OTT.
Tell us about how you stay fit, especially in the time of the pandemic and when you are shooting back to back?
I have always been inclined towards fitness. Even during my school days. So, it’s a part of my routine and it is not because I am an actor. I am an old-school weights kind of a guy and not into functional training and stuff. I do a bit of cardio as well. I bought some weights during the lockdown and did my workout from home. However, during the pandemic, my wife started baking and she was baking really well. So, I relished a lot of those dishes and had put on some weight. Whenever I am shooting back to back I make sure I work out at least five days a week before or after the shift.