Art & Entertainment

Imran Khan

On his role in <i>Vagina Monologues</i> and his campaign to encourage the youth to vote

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Imran Khan
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You have a special role in Vagina Monologues, a play with an all-female cast.

The role wasn’t created for me. The play was expanded with a new perspective.

How did you come across the role?

I watched the play and liked it. I heard that it was the 200th show and a new dimension was being introduced. Since it’s associated with a charitable cause I felt drawn to it.

Tell us about the cause.

Supporting V-Day, a movement to end violence against women, the show raised funds for Sneha, an NGO dealing with abused women. The funds will also be used for the treatment of acid attack survivor Haseena Hussain, and for Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse who’s been in coma since 1973 after a ward boy raped her.

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Tell us about your role in the play.

The play requires actors to read out pieces based on true life stories. I read one where a son asks his mother about his father but she doesn’t know as she was raped by soldiers in a war. In the second piece, I’m a boy petrified of his 16-year-old sister marrying a 55-year-old.

Have you done theatre before?

Never.

How different is it from films?

No retakes. You have to connect with the entire audience.

You’re also part of a campaign urging youngsters to vote.

I wanted to do something about this and shared it with Karan Johar. Thus the concept of a short film where young actors address the youth directly was born.

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What is the reason for this apathy?

Many feel that voting doesn’t have a direct impact on their day-to-day life while others get miffed with the system hedged in red tape.

The impetus celebs give to social causes.

The way our culture is, if you’re a filmstar or cricketer, you can create a difference.

Does starry presence eclipse the essence?

The media should not let the focus wander from the cause to the star.

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