Has Imran cracked a secret formula for success? “There is no formula,” says Imran, admitting that he has received more praise for EMAET than Delhi Belly. “I go by my gut feeling. The majority of my work is with first time directors. So I meet the director to see if he is excited, chilled out or someone who would work extra hard,” he explains. But talk to Imran about how only his rom coms have worked for him, he refuses to accept that he is being typecast. He takes a deep breath and chooses his words carefully. “I am far too young and new in the industry to be typecast. And when people talk about typecast, say romantic comedy, what are the rom coms I have done? There is EMAET and I Hate. When you get success in a particular space, people tend to see you in that space. So you get lots of offers. It is not because I actively want to do a particular kind of film. People don’t think outside the box. So it takes a good director with a little more vision to think outside the box.” Tell him that he is one of the few ‘solo’ actors around who is doing well, he politely gives credit to his mamu. And sounds very much like him, when he talks about how he wants his films to do well, not just for himself, but for every one who is involved with the project. He adds, “I would rather have a super-hit film than an extra five crore. I can always make the money from endorsements.” Speaking of the moolah, he is asked about what exactly has he planned to treat himself to after his recent success. Imran takes this ‘pleasure’ question rather seriously. “I think it is very important to remember why you are doing this work. For me, it has always been of supreme importance that I enjoy my life. Thirty years from now I don’t want to look back and wonder, what did I do?”
