Deepak Wadhwa - A man on a mission

For those of you who do not know who Deepak Wadhwa is, well he is an Indian television actor and model. He has performed many roles in various Hindi television shows, like Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein, Ishq Kills,Qubool Hai,Code Red. As of July 2015, he has done his most recent role in Aahat (season 6). Currently, he is playing a lead role in the Star Plus drama Meri Tamanna, a program that I am thoroughly enjoying. The sports based serial has been garnering positive responses from audiences throughout the world. He has featured as a cameo in Madhur Bahndarkar's "Calender Girls". In terms of his modelling career, he won the title of Mr. India International 2008. Apart from this, he has also featured in many commercials as well as advertisements for various international brands. It gives me an immense amount of pleasure to be able to interview the charming and dashing Mr. Deepak Wadhwa who is an extremely humble and down to earth human being. I had lots of fun conducting this interview via whatsapp audio.Read on to find our more in his own words.

Nationality: Indian

Favourite Indian cuisine: Home made food is the best. I do enjoy Chinese cuisine

Favourite cologne: Gucci Guilty

1. Firstly Deepak, thank you so much for taking time out to be interviewed by me on such short notice. Tell me a little more about your family background and life from childhood until present? Did you formally go to an acting school? Where did you study?

Well, its my pleasure Sumayya. In terms of my family background, I have a mom and two elder brothers. Both are married and both have kids and of course I am also married now. When I was a child I wanted to be a cricketer (laughing). I guess every child in India wants to be a cricketer at any one point in their lives. Anyway, when I got a little older, I realized that I would like to be famous, I mean really famous. Until now whenever I watch movies, I tell myself that this is where I want to be. I want to be on the silver screen. So what I am involved with right now in terms of my career is in actual fact a bridge that will allow me to see the end of the tunnel.. ultimately being on the silver screen.With regards to acting school, I did not attend any acting school as such. I have attended many theatre workshops for a couple of months and I performed in a number of plays before getting my first break in the serial " Dhoond legi Manzil Humein" 

2.Did you always wish to be a part of the acting industry? Has your family been supportive of your career choices?

After completing my 12th grade, I wanted to be a part of the modelling and acting industry but then at the same time I wanted to study. I still love studying and if time permits I would like to enhance myself further in terms of doing a few courses.. Any way I got into B tech and I told myself that I needed to complete my engineering degree first and thereafter I could do whatever I wanted to. After acquiring my degree I got my portfolio done. I then entered the Mr India 2008 competition. I got through, reached the finals and then got the title of Mr. India International 2008. I also made it in the top 5. My family honestly wish well for me. Like all other families, parents want their kids to have some kind of stability. The same applied to me. For the first 3 years during my modelling career, my dad wanted me to rather be a part of a stable work environment and encouraged me to rather take up a job instead of modelling. But at the same time he never prevented me from modelling. When I eventually got the lead role in the television series "Dhoond legi Manzil Humein" that's the time dad was very happy and content with regards to the career path I had chosen. I'll give you a fine example, whenever he use to meet people, he would say that my son is an engineer, please find him a good job. After I started shooting for the television series, he started telling people that my son is an actor (laughing). So that was quite a nice feeling.

After being in the modelling industry for quite a while in New Delhi, I decided that I required a shift in career.I needed to get into acting. That's when I met my Guru Dilip Shankarjee. Under his wings I got my theatre workshops done.He was there for me supporting me throughout. I did a few plays as well with him.Then of course whilst doing the plays I worked on enhancing myself in terms of being a better actor. One day I got a call from Mumbai to audition. I sent my audition from Delhi. I got finalized for my first television show  "Dhoond legi Manzil Humein". Before getting my first break I need to mention that I went to Mumbai 4 to 5 times to audition for the leading roles but I didn't get it. Eventually of course I managed to succeed by acquiring my first break on television.It was a lovely moment for me.

3. Tell me a little bit about your modelling career. 

On completing my engineering degree, Oracle offered me a job. I turned down the job and instead got a portfolio done. I then entered the Mr India 2008 competition. I got through, reached the finals and then got the title of Mr. India International. 

4. How do you balance your personal life and your career? I am sure that you have a huge female fan following. Has this ever had an impact on your marriage?

In terms of balancing my personal life and my career, I must say that I am really fortunate to have a wife who is extremely understanding. At the same time I have realized that whenever we have free time, we need to make the best of it. We should live every moment of life to the fullest. You never know when its your last honestly.  Whenever I am not working, even though I am tired or had a long day, I make sure I spend time with my wife. Take her out for coffee or to the movies. We usually travel a lot. We try taking short trips every 3 months. And every 6 months we either take a trip within India to a region we have not seen before or we travel abroad. The female fan following has to be there. But it has never ever been a problem. My wife is quite understanding and hence there has never ever been any negative impact on my marriage. 

5. I have heard through the grape vine that many actors and actresses are cast in movies or serials through couch casting. Do you think that this kind of practice is occurring within the industry? .

The casting couch does exist everywhere in all industries, be it the movie industry or the corporate world as such. People accept the casting couch practice in order to attain a promotion. Ultimately it depends on you as an individual. Do you want to attain success through couch casting or do you wish to attain success through hard work. There are situations though where individuals have tried extremely hard to achieve success with no avail and hence the only route that was left for them in order to pursue a dream was through couch casting. Personally I am not at all in favour of couch casting. I believe that a person needs to persevere and have patience in order to acquire success. 

6.What has been your most memorable experience in your life thus far?

Getting the title of Mr. India International 2008 was a very proud moment. My father was sitting right there in the audience, watching me jumping with joy and also I was among the top 5. There was definitely no looking back. I did ramp shows, print shoots, commercials. Whatever brands were there I covered it all in New Delhi where I was doing my modelling. 

7. If you could be granted one wish and have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?

If I could be granted one wish, I would really like to be able to dance like Hrithik Roshan (laughing). He is such a brilliant dancer. He is absolutely amazing. If my wish is not granted in terms of dancing then I would love to have Ranveer Singh's energy. Oh my God what energy the man has. 

8. Who or what inspires you?

With regards to inspiration I would say that the moment you step out of your house, everyone around you is an inspiration, be it the person in the car, the person in an auto or the person at the bus stop. You will find inspiration to push yourself.Whenever I go to a park, I see elderly people in their 50's and 60's walking and jogging. A lot of the times they are more alive and energetic than individuals who are younger than them. Of course, whenever I watch any movie, I am inspired to work harder in order to have a meaningful place within the acting industry which is competitive. Movies inspire me to work harder in order for me to be on the silver screen in the near future. 

9. What are your favourite websites?

There are no particular websites that I follow.I do however keep a check on travel blogs or articles on unexplored places as my wife and I both enjoy travelling a lot. 

10. Do you follow a strict eating plan or are you a gym fanatic? Is it necessary to be physically fit if you are part of the movie industry?

I am quite regular at the gym.I am not a gym fanatic though. It depends entirely on the project. If I get a project that entails me having a certain body type, then I will definitely frequent the gym more often in order to obtain the physique required. I also think that everyone out there needs to be physically fit,not only the people in the movie industry. You either go to the gym or jog in a park but being physically fit is important for everyone' health and wealth being. 

11. Who is your favourite actor, actress and singer in Bollywood? What qualities do they have that make them special to you?

I cant really say one name. I'd say Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor. In terms of qualities I think Amitabhjee at his age still has the hunger to deliver award winning performances.Wow, that's definitely inspiring. Shahrukh Khan, he is 50 and I read somewhere whilst doing the promotional song for the movie "Fan" he attained a knee injury. But if you look at the song video and view his performance it is flawless as though no injury was sustained. wow, how can he dance so well despite an injury. Ranveer Singh leaves me speechless. His energy is enormous. Ranbir Kapoors performance in Rockstar made me a die hard fan and of course Barfi. mmm actresses I'd say Vidya Balan and Deepika Padukone. Deepika has grown so much since her debut movie " Om Shanti Om' and with every film she is getting better and better. Singers, since the age of 10 or 15, I've been listening to KK, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Mohit Chauhan and recently Arijit Singh.They are all brilliant. Up until now I still listen to the private albums that Sonu Nigam sang in. KK's songs I could connect to as they were all the college type songs. so yes, he is my favourite and I have been to many of his concerts and I'd definitely like to do it again.

12. In your opinion, what qualities does a person require in order to be a part of the acting industry?

 Of course you need to be talented for a start. As an actor you don't really need to be a good looking guy or a girl. You can be a normal average looking person who can adopt a character in a script.I think everyone is welcome in the acting industry if you have the ability to act. So you need to be talented and of course you must be able to put in a lot of hard work and persevere. 

13. Define success. What does success mean to you?

I can not define success because success is a relative term for me in the sense that I cant say that at any point of my life I am successful because the day I say that I am successful will be the day I'll stop improving in life, or going up in life. I think for me growing is important, the journey is important rather than saying that today I am successful.Even if I am working 24/7 non stop at a stretch for long periods of time, or even if I am a part of the A league group of actors on the silver screen, I will not say that I am successful. I will simply say yes I have achieved a lot but still there is a long way to go. We need to better ourselves all the time in all spheres of life.

14. Give me your opinion about plastic surgery? Many models win beauty pageants and then head straight into Bollywood. Most of them undergo drastic plastic surgery as well as skin lightening treatments in order to conform to a certain look. What is your opinion about actors and actresses becoming successful after they have undergone cosmetic surgery? 

Plastic surgery is a very individual choice. I personally do not support it for myself but of course if somebody wants to go for it then its totally their choice. I feel that I have this face and this body that was given to me by God and I shouldn't really play around with it. My body is a God given gift.

15.  Where do you see yourself five years from now? What are your plans for the future?

I don't think that far ahead. I live for the moment. Working hard each day and simply taking each day as it comes. Where my hard work takes me I have no idea. Of course I would want to be known as the most successful actor in the industry at some point in my life. Right now I prefer focusing on the present rather than worrying about the future.

16. Fame can do strange things to people. How do you cope with fame and the fact that people easily recognize you wherever you go ?

Yes you right, fame can do a lot of strange things to people. People can become arrogant and rude. But its very important to remain grounded and stay connected to your roots because you should always remember where you started out in life before achieving name and fame.You should be polite to people. Of course there are times when fans are rude towards us as actors, they might pass insensitive remarks and hence sometimes we do react as we are human beings as well. My wife assists me in being grounded and I would like to thank her for this. 

17.  What advice do you have for young aspiring actors out there?

Well, if you want to be a part of the acting industry, first of all you need to come here prepared. By this I mean you need to have to work on your acting skills. You need to be a good actor and be patient. You need to wait for the best role to come your way. You shouldn't give up. Giving up is definitely not an option in this industry. There are days when you will sit idle with absolutely no work and there will be times when you will be extremely busy for long periods of time. Being a part of this industry requires a mixture of patience, hard work and perseverance. When you reach a level of success, do not forget about those people who stood by  you when you were nothing.

18. Are there any additional comments you’d like to add for the blog readers?

Desert Moon's Diary is certainly a blog that is filled with lots of useful information. I found the content of the blog to be very interesting and informative. I would definitely recommend this blog page to my fans. I am pleased to be interviewed on a platform that attracts a diverse audience. 

Once again,thank you Deepak for taking the time to answer these questions. Desert Moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours!!!

Be afraid of our own religious fanaticism

                                                   Picture credit: Furqan T. Siddiqui
                               

I am really blessed and fortunate to be brought up in a home where anyone is welcome irrespective of race, colour, creed or sect for that matter. I grew up listening to qawwali music along with various other genres of music as well. I was exposed to the various facets of life from a young age and it taught me tolerance and acceptance of others. I am sure many of you out there must have heard about the tragic assassination of Amjad Sabri Sahab who was a well known and well respected musician who specialised in Sufi music. A radical faction of the Taliban have taken responsibility for his life claiming that he was not a Muslim and hence needed to be killed due to blasphemy. The prophet Muhammed (saw) was a peace loving human being. His heart was filled with kindness and compassion towards others. He respected everyone. How then can we as human beings run down or condemn another person's belief system. When you visit Makkatul mukarramah you will see millions of Muslims and everyone has their own variation of praying. Just because they pray differently to me does not mean that they are bad people and neither does it mean that I am superior over them. Sabri Sahab was a qawwal. He expressed his love for his Creator and the prophet Muhammad (saw) through poetry and music. And whilst many hardcore fanatics out there have condemned his way of devotion I am of the opinion that he probably had a deeper love and connection with his Lord than these merciless fanatics. A person who is close to his Lord will not murder and kill innocent people. When you get close to your Lord, Allah softens your heart. Who are we to judge or run down another human being when we are not sinless or faultless ourselves? If you don't agree with a person's belief system that's fine. Carry on with your own life. But don't condemn anyone. The irony is that his assassins have in actual fact given him a death in Ramadhaan whereby the doors of paradise will be open for him. The fact that he was shot makes him a shaheed. Our duty on earth is to do good and spread good. We are not here to label people. Take the good from every person that you meet and discard the bad.Always ask Allah to give you eyes that enable you to see the good in others. This is the essence and the basis of Islam. It is such a perfect, practical religion that is followed by imperfect, impractical followers. ......

A tribute to my beloved grandmother- 1936- 2016

19 June 2016

Dear blog readers,

First and foremost from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your warm wishes and prayers during this trying time. Thank you for the messages and phone calls. As I try putting pen to paper I find myself stuck for words. There's a hundred and one thoughts going through my mind right now. Where do I begin. Nanima has always had a history of cardiac issues. For the last three years now she has always been in hospital over the ramadhaan period. We would actually tease her about it saying, " Ma, if you need a holiday please tell us but don't book yourself in hospital year after year". She would respond by laughing. This year when she got admitted we thought that as usual she would be in hospital for a week or two. But a week became a month, a month became two months and soon nanimas life was confined to a small hospital cubicle. In her own words she said, " I have no home. I live in a box". There were days when she felt better and gave us all a ray of hope and there were days when we tried convincing ourselves that the end is near. The most painful part was watching her waste away. There were days when she told us that she would like to live longer for the sake of her great grand children and there were days when she said that she was tired of living. She needed to leave.

To the doctors and staff at the NETCARE Sunninghill CCU unit, words can not express my gratitude and respect that I have for all of you especially to sister Charlene and her team and ofcourse Dr.Ganchi. You have restored my faith in humanity. You have restored my faith in the medical fraternity in this country. You were all at my grandmother's bedside as she took her last and final breath. You accommodated our family and friends and gave us the much needed space we all required. You treated my grandmother as though she was your own and hence I could feel and sense the sadness that all of you felt within. You fought till the end to save her life trying everything in the book but of course God Almighty is the custodian of life and death. To Dr Jeffery King, Dr Hsu and Dr Deseta thank you all for attending to my grandmother during her sporadic visits at hospital. Thank you for taking our calls at odd hours and making my grandmother's life a top priority. May God bless and reward all of you in abundance.

It is said that when the angel of death comes knocking at your door to take away your soul it is quite a painful ordeal. Some people are in constant agony moaning and groaning and yet my nanima experienced nothing of that sort. As she layed in bed staring in one corner of the room whilst we all held her hands she simply stopped breathing. No sound, no movement. With absolute ease her soul left her body. There was a smile on her face, an unexplainable glow.Finally she was in eternal peace.

As I stare at my beloved nanimas photo I can not help but reflect on her life. Passing away in Ramadhaan is auspicious for a Muslim. It is said that only the fortunate ones pass on in this month. A person who passes away in Ramadhaan is safeguarded from punishment and the gates of paradise are open for them. Nanima knew her end was near. Over the last few days she was talking about her parents and her home town Newcastle. Ironically some of the nursing staff who took care of her were also from Newcastle. Newcastle has a suburb called Paradise and so the nursing staff would tell her that they going to take her straight to Paradise. Sometimes nanima use to point to the window saying that she could see a garden with yellow flowers and a bench. She could see her grandmother jumping with joy. Of course we thought that it was her medication that was causing her to speak in riddles. She was speaking the truth. She could see her abode.

Why did nanima pass away in Ramadhaan? I'll tell you why. She was a friend of God Almighty. She was simple yet she was super intelligent.She wasn't materialistic at all. She was an awesome cook and very creative with her hands. You couldn't beat her when it came to sewing, needle work.. embroidery. Ma was an avid reader. She was an ardent fan of radio 702. There were times when mum and I were unaware of an incident but Ma knew. A few weeks ago when she was still able to speak she kept on saying, " You must be clever. You must be sharp in life. You mustn't be stupid". She always pushed us and encouraged us towards academic excellence.

Nanima hailed from a wealthy family yet she married my nana who was a simple middle class man. Her initial stage of marriage was very hard. Nana earned a meagre salary but Ma made an effort to earn extra money. She would make coconut ice cubes and peanut brittle along with a variety of other sweets and chocolates to sell to the school kids. She had an old coal stove in her kitchen and everyday she would have to light it in order to cook. But she never complained. She had patience. And through her patience she was rewarded. She was a quiet soul. She never fought with anyone neither did she speak ill of anyone. She hated gossiping. She wouldn't mind anyone's business. She never ran in and out of her neighbours homes yet she was always there if someone needed help. She loved family and she hated arguing and fighting. She would always tell us that we must all live nicely and lovingly with each other. Nanima and i shared a very special relationship. I was the first born grand child. I lived with her for a few months after I was born. I stayed with her whilst at university as well. She wasn't my nani, she was more like a mother. Almost everyday we spoke to each other on the phone. The day we opened the pharmacy she was the happiest person making sure that she arrived on time for lunch. She was so proud of my brother and I. She loved coming to the pharmacy always saying a prayer as she left. May Allah grant this business with lots of blessings and may it be a source of comfort for all those people who are ill. May Allah accept her prayers. May Allah give us the strength to run the business for many years to come in the interest of the community. On a monthly basis she would contribute money to the hampers we make for the elderly. As a child she played with me, she was there for me for all my school events and up until she got ill she made sure she attended her great grandchildren's sporting events. How I wish I could do so much more for my nanima. How I wish I could see her smile one last time. But wishing is all I can do. Death is so final. A journey we will all be embarking on one day. A journey where no one ever returns to tell the tale.

Yesterday as I sat next to her body staring at her face with tears rolling down my cheeks, family and friends tried consoling mom and I saying, " Don't be sad. Ma is in a better place.How fortunate she is" .. Yes, indeed she is finally in a place of peace but the void and emptiness that she has left within us will remain with us forever and ever and ever.I humbly request all of you to please say a little prayer for her.

A home where angels reside

8 June 2016

So this morning I was unable to get to work on time due to the protests on Main Reef road. I feel sick hearing that rocks and stones were thrown at passing vehicles causing extensive damage. I don't understand the mentality of some of the Black people in this country. Maybe I need to be enlightened. Why do innocent people have to get into the mix if you have an issue with the government. What do you gain by destroying someone else's property? 
Anyway I told myself instead of being irritated let me start my day on a good positive note and indeed it turned out to be a really productive day. I enjoyed some quality time with mom. Every week mom has this big concern of making food and vegetable hampers for the residents of an old age home in Florida.She manages to put together these hampers through the donations of friends, family and some patients as well. I never really understood the magnitude of the task and how time consuming it really is to put the hampers together until today. What I really admire about mom is that she makes these hampers on a weekly basis with a smile. My parents have always said that by giving others, God Almighty grants the home with lots of mercy and blessings. Running a business is not easy. It's damn hard work and when month end arrives the stress sets in. But what I've noticed is that somehow God Almighty always helps us get through the month. It actually surprises me. I think it's all because of mom's good work. This evening a patient came to the pharmacy looking for dad to thank him for changing his life for the better. The young man was involved with drugs. He resided on the streets. He discarded his family and friends. About 2 years ago, dad sat him down and knocked some sense into him. Two years later with God's grace and guidance the man has changed his life 360 degrees. I am so proud to have parents that have a heart and compassion for humanity. I am so fortunate to be born into a home where angels reside. Dear Lord, I beseech Thee to grant my parents good health and a long life filled with blessings. Dear Lord have mercy on my parents as they get older. Make their old age easy for them. Grant them a comfortable life of wealth, peace and prosperity.Allow me to always be a coolness to their eyes. Let them be pleased with me at all times.Let me always be there for them as their strength and support.Dear Lord, forgive me and my parents for our shortcomings, grant us paradise the day we leave this world. And unite our souls in the hereafter. AMEEN!

Life has no guarantees

A few days ago whilst browsing the internet, I came across a post whereby a young woman wrote that she has been receiving proposals from many men, however they are mediocre proposals from middle class families and she does not wish to be a mother running around the house with 5 snotty kids. She desires to marry a rich man who will provide her with a cook and nanny and who takes her abroad on holidays. In yet another bizarre post a Muslim mom suggested that her 27 year old daughter starts wearing more open clothing in order for her to attract men and get married. 
I personally found both posts to be absolutely ridiculous. To the young woman who feels the need to marry a rich man, she is clearly living her life in a bubble. I personally think that she is wet behind the ears and should not get married. Here is a classic example of why marriages do not work out. Young women out there expect their lives to be straight out of a Bollywood movie and yet the stark reality is totally contrary to a romantic movie scene. My advise to this young woman is this, why become dependent on a man. Live your own dreams. Go out there, study, earn your own money and reach for the stars. Life has absolutely no guarantees and within my scope of practice I see this everyday. A good friend of mine got married 10 years ago. At the time he got married, he was leading a high flying life and naturally his wife had a queens life. The day his dad got ill and their company went insolvent, his wife left him. So did she love him and marry him because of the person he is or did she only marry him for money. A good couple of years ago my life crossed paths with a young couple from Cape Town. They were only married for a week wen tragedy struck. They were on their way to the airport to catch a plane to Russia. The young woman was from Russia and so her South African husband decided to move to her country of birth as she was not very comfortable residing here. In the accident, the car blew up and whilst the young man managed to escape the blaze of the fire, the young woman was burnt beyond recognition. He blonde, long hair was no more and she was disfigured for life. She stayed in hospital for almost a year undergoing many operations and procedures. She was suicidal. The most heartbreaking part of the story is that after six months of being at her bedside, her husband disappeared never to return. In a letter that he wrote to her, he mentioned that he finds her revolting and the fact that she is no longer beautiful is not good for his image. Did he marry her for love and the person that she is on the inside or did he marry her for her beauty. When her beauty faded he ran away. Last week I met a young man, who was diagnosed with a rare form of Parkinsons a few months ago. His wife and family walked out on him. Did she marry him for his heart and the person he is on the inside... Definitely not.....The moral of the story is that life has no guarantees. We all need to aspire to build our own dreams. You can not make your dreams come true through someone else's hard work. Life does not work that way. To the mother who thinks her daughter needs to start dressing openly in order to attract men, I am of the opinion that this is a very dangerous stance on her part. Is this mother so desperate to get her daughter married? Has her own daughter become a burden to her.God Almighty has written out each and everyone's destiny the day we were born. Wearing open clothing will not guarantee marriage. In fact it will only attract men who are simply in a relationship for a fling with a sexily clad woman. Why should a woman change her style or personality to attract a man? Be yourself, be natural. Be proud of who you are. Be proud of your culture and tradition. If a man sincerely wishes to be with you, he must marry you with all your flaws and weaknesses. If he cant do that then he is just not worth it. Never, ever stoop down to another human being or change yourself for someone else. My dad has always taught me to walk with my head up high and face the world heads on. Motor ahead full steam to achieve your dreams because you are the only person that can shape your own destiny!