Hrithik lookalike?
He’s late by a few minutes, so strides into his capricious living room apologising profusely. Tall, lean and togged in a cool white shirt and jeans, at first glance he looks like any other good-looking youngster. It is his smile, the unruly mop of raven black hair, and twinkling eyes, that make Harman Baweja extraordinary. Tell him that he does indeed have a startling resemblance to Hrithik Roshan, and the newbie smiles mischievously, “I have been looking at myself for 27 years, at least my mirror does not say so,” and continues, “the comparison does not affect me, except that it sets off expectations from me which is not fair. People should remember that Hrithik Roshan is eight years ahead of me in the industry.”

Frustrating times
You may not have seen him on screen, but his debut film Love Story 2050 and his alleged affair with his leading lady Priyanka Chopra have been making news for almost two years. Only the actor himself has always kept a low profile and stayed away from the media. Ask him if he was upset with the reporting and tempted to clarify things at any time, and Harman retorts, “I had a good laugh when I was linked with Deepika Padukone and wondered where it came from? Otherwise all these link-ups are unfair to me as an actor, because I want people to talk about my work and not these issues. What hurt most was when Bebo walked out of the film and we were at our wit’s end unsure who would play the leading lady, and a paper said ‘hope Love Story 2050 comes before 2050! At other times it was frustrating at not being able to put across the real me. But now that I am open to the press, I am more relaxed,” says the seemingly easy going and down-to-earth wannabe.

What’s it with Priyanka?
Is it true that Priyanka stepped into Bebo’s shoes because she was his girlfriend? “Priyanka came on board because she loved the script. And the truth about us? Thank goodness you are not asking me to put my hand on the Gita! Ha, let me say we are ‘great friends’ instead of the clichéd ‘we are good friends’. I know there have been a lot of speculations about us being a couple by the media, but if there is something exciting I’ll talk about it.”

A father’s gift
And now that the industry’s most ambitious and talked about project is all set to release how does he feel? “I do get very nervous at times, and at times I get very excited. In fact it changes every minute. But otherwise we are still so busy with the post production that I have not had the time to think. I guess the real jitters will set in on the day before the premiere!” laughs Harman.
The movie is a 50 crore sci-fi romance set in the future with mind-boggling special effects and specially assembled animatronix robots, and Harman gets a tad bit emotional when questioned about the extravagant project. “Never before has a scientific film with such special effects been combined with a deep story. Love Story 2050 will definitely take Hindi cinema to another level. How many sons in the world have got such a huge gift form their fathers?” he questions.

The challenge
Dad Harry Baweja is a producer in his own right. But his last few films like Deewane, Teesri Aankh and Main Aisa Hi Hoon have put him on a weak wicket, and despite Love Story 2050 having aroused a lot of curiosity the pressure is visible. “Yes, we are coming after a huge dip, and the challenge to prove ourselves is more. But we are convinced we can do it,” says Harman.
So with so many firsts and special effects in the film, which sequence or scene excites him the most? “It would definitely have to be the Parkour sequence. It’s called Urban free running in which I am shown running over and in between cars, jumping over walls and just about anything. I trained in London for two months for this three minute sequence and it was shot in six days. The shots are long and fluid and can be very dangerous, and I don’t think I would like to do them again.”

Flying start
Strangely the boy who shows amazing dedication for his first film, had other dreams before he settled to become an actor. “Like every guy I wanted to fly and become a pilot, but soon abandoned the idea in favour of a career in hospitality. I went to Switzerland to do Hotel Management, but despite being a silver medalist in the first year, dropped out to enter Bollywood,” says the actor, who later joined the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, New York, to learn acting and came back to assist his dad on films like Deewane and Main Aisa Hi Hoon.

First film blues
His first shot was a romantic scene with Bebo, and a total disaster, as he could not function because dad was there behind the camera. “Finally I told him to go into another room and observe me on the monitor. But two days later I gained my confidence and things were fine from then onwards.
I must tell you that being my first film, everyone, from the spot boy to the dress-man to the makeup man had a tip for me. And I obediently followed whatever they told me! Otherwise I am a very spontaneous actor and read my lines 10 minutes before the scene.”