'I Don't Give Much Importance To Looks'

'It's the work that counts.'

Arjun Rampal has been busy working in various projects, and he's excited about them all.

But the thing he's *really* excited about is the fact that his elder daughter Mahikaa is training to be an actor.

"I think she will be fabulous," Arjun raves to Subhash K Jha.

What are your current projects?

There are a few films that completely ready for release like Punjab 95 with Diljit Dosanjh, directed by Honey Trehan and produced by Ronnie Screwvala.

I'm really excited about The Rapist with Konkona Sensharma, directed by Aparna Sen and produced by Sameer Nair. It is a complex role of a man dealing with his wife's rape.

Aparna is one of the few female directors I've worked with. The other was Reema Kagti for Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.

The Rapist is very sensitive exploration of the trauma of rape.

Konkona is exceptional.

Aparna thinks you are a gorgeous-looking man.

(laughs) Well, she is a gorgeous woman.

Honestly, I don't give much importance to looks, it's the work that counts.

There is another special film which I've done.

Which is?

The Blind Game, directed by Sangeeth Sivan. It's so sad that this will be his last film. Such a wonderful human and director he was!

I have two Abbas-Mustan films, Penthouse and Three Monkeys.

Then, there's the Netflix series, Rana Naidu 2.

Currently, I am filming for Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar. An amazing lad with a fabulous mind.

What do you look for in your scripts at this juncture of your career?

I guess how different it will be from what I have done before, how much I can lose myself in it.

Your daughters are young ladies. Are they readying themselves to follow in daddy's footsteps?

I just want them to do whatever makes them happy.

My elder one, Mahikaa, has graduated from film school. She's training to be an actress and has my full support.

I think she will be fabulous.

Myra is off to university in London to study the business of fashion.

They have been able to identify their paths as of now.

Circumstances and mindsets change all the time, so we just go with the flow.

You have been around for a good 25 years. How much has the film industry changed?

It's gotten more professional, for sure.

The crews are more educated, the discipline on set is much better.

There's less time to bond like the old days but the output is far greater.

It's tough to have good friends in the industry but at the same time, not impossible.

When are you directing a film?

Very soon.