How did it feel to play Osama Bin Laden?
It was unbelievable to play Osama. It was very exciting. Abhishek brought in a great idea which was unique and absolutely unattempted.
In between, you acted in completely different films like 'Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend' and 'Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi'...
You cannot call them different, but yes, when loss comes your way, you cannot do much about it. Sometimes you just do things out of your gut feeling as it sounds very exciting and good on paper, but turns out to be completely different. I was not that confident and my performance turned out to be poor.
What do your team members or fans call you? How do you feel about it?
I am called Osama, but mostly Laden. I feel alright. Laden sounds more colloquial. I feel great about it as it's an iconic, larger than life character. It's like asking Amjad Khan what it feels like to be called Gabbar. Similarly, when you think of Anil Kapoor, his trademark style 'Jhakkas' comes to your mind. I would love to reprise this role.
Is there a sequel on the cards?
Never say never. After making 'Tere Bin Laden', Abhishek had said that there can't be a sequel. But five years down the line, here we are, with 'Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive'. If one day Abhishek or I come up with another brilliant idea - a sequel can be on the cards. It will probably be based on a conspiracy or politics.
Have you ever been in trouble due to this get-up?
I don't roam around the city as Osama Bin Laden. Abhishek has sketched out the character and it caught the fancy of the audience. It garnered a lot of appreciation. How the most feared person in the world is depicted as a comic character is arbitrary but true.
Who noticed you for this role? Had you ever imagined that you could look like Osama?
No, I never imagined. Did your mother tell you that you look like Phoolan Devi? No (laughs). I was a big Dev Anand fan and I used to copy his style, his hairstyle, and his trademark gimmicks. People used to call me by his name. Abhishek had a hunch. He said, "I know this boy in Delhi. He has a big nose. Get this guy, make him lose weight and he is our Osama." He showed my picture to a few people and this is how I came into the scene.
How did you get into acting? What kind of roles would you like to play in the future?
I have done theatre in Delhi and knew Abhishek Sharma. I would love to play everything, from what Leonardo DiCaprio, SRK, Irrfan, Salman or Aamir have done. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. When it comes to my fantasies, I have won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and what not...
Who is Pradhuman Singh when he is not Osama?
He is a very regular guy who walks around in chappals and ripped jeans with a thin stubble and a 'shafi' (stole). He can be the guy with a glass of beer in a bar or holding a book in a corner. There is nothing extraordinary about me. I love being this regular guy. One can easily get fond of me. You can either love me
or hate me.
If Osama was alive, what would have been your reaction had you come across him?
I would not have been alive had I bumped into him. He would be active and I would be passive.
Which is closer to your heart: Mumbai or Delhi?
Mumbai is my 'karmabhoomi' and Delhi is my 'janmabhoomi'. I am a Pahari originally from Dehradun but have been brought up in Delhi. I have done my schooling from Delhi and have my friends here. I have a house in Noida but my family stays in Dehradun. Mumbai is my workplace.
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