Negar stars in film with sparring husband

Mumbai, Aug 13 (IANS) Thanks to her marital woes - and a film in which she stars with her estranged husband - Negar Khan continues to make news months after being deported from India.

"Double Cross" features Negar and spouse Saahil Khan. The story of a gigolo and a stripper, it promises enough oomph to please the frontbenchers.

But the lead pair's ongoing marital tussle is stirring up more interest. Some are suggesting that the controversy is nothing but a publicity stunt for the rather downmarket film.

Saahil, the aggrieved husband and leading man of "Double Cross", is brutally honest.

"Though my relationship with Negar and the events that followed were certainly not publicity stunts, I must admit I've got more notice in the press because of it than I would have in five years. I guess any kind of publicity is good publicity in today's day and age," Saahil told IANS.

Well spoken. But isn't the allegation made by his wife - that she caught him red-handed with a man - a little too harsh to be publicity for the wannabe?

"I guess she had to say something shocking. Saying she caught me with a woman wouldn't have sounded so unusual. But I wish she had made up her mind about whom she caught me with. In one paper she said it was a spot boy. In another she said it was a makeup man. Is she confused, or am I?"

About their marital status, Saahil says: "According to Negar we were never legally married. But according to me we were married all right. I stand by whatever I shared with her. It was her mother whose ambitions killed our relationship. She wanted us to work together and she didn't want me to work with any other actress until her daughter was established. That created a problem. Because Negar couldn't speak Hindi...Both mother and daughter got ample publicity."

He pauses for breath. "Anyway all that's in the past now. Because Negar has decided to have nothing to do with me. I haven't spoken to her for over a month. She has ceased all communication with all the producers whose work was pending. Yes, it does make me feel morally responsible, though thankfully I'm not legally responsible. We never signed contracts together. So her unprofessional attitude has nothing to do with me."

About "Double Cross", he says: "It's basically a mixture of two Hollywood films. I play Richard Gere in 'American Gigolo'. Negar plays Demi Moore from 'Striptease'."

Playing a male prostitute does seem a rather unconventional thing. Saahil concedes, "Boy meets girl and runs around trees...no longer happening. I do have lots of lovemaking scenes with all kinds of women - white women, Gujarati women...you name it.

"I play a male prostitute. So I had to take off my clothes and make love. I don't mind going shirtless. Because I've a body comparable with Salmanbhai's. Not too many actors can boast of such a physique."

As Saahil brags about his physical attributes and makes no bones about his self-marketing strategies, he seems to represent the bold-and-brash generation willing to go to any lengths to court success.

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