<img title="Mustafa" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/feb/18mustafa.jpg" alt="Mustafa" />
I never wanted to become an actor; I wanted to be a director,&rdquo; says Mustafa, son of Abbas Burmawalla, one half of the filmmaker duo Abbas-Mustan. The 29-year-old will be launched by his father and uncle in Machine, which releases next month.
How did the acting bug &nbsp;bite him? &ldquo;I went to New York to do a filmmaking course. When I returned, I started assisting them [Abbas-Mustan]. I would animatedly act out scenes on set. I understood my potential rather late in life. I haven't done an acting course, but I knew I needed to learn everything before I got down to work. I went to NK Sharma, a renowned play director in Delhi, to learn acting for six months. My body language improved, my confidence soared.&rdquo;
Playing a 'layered character' in Machine was nothing short of a challenge for Mustafa, who put in 10 hours a day for several months to work on his dance skills. &ldquo;The toughest part was action. I would wake up at 3.30 am, start working out by 4 am &mdash; do a mix of gymnastics and mixed martial arts, and reach the set by 6. After pack-up at night, I would practice dance. During the 70 days of shoot, I gave my all to the film.&rdquo;
The debutant confesses to have won over his father and uncle with a 10-minute show reel on 20 hours of his life. &ldquo;They were impressed by the hard work I put in. There is tremendous pressure on me because people have huge expectations from me and I've got to live up to the family name.&rdquo;
He admits there were ample creative differences between him and the filmmaker duo. &ldquo;Those who say having a parent on set makes things easy, I'd say it was exactly the opposite for me. Those who talk about nepotism in the industry must know there's a flip side to it too. Gaining access is easy, but the stakes are higher.
We need to work just as hard [as non-star kids] to keep getting work.&rdquo;
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/feb/18mustafa-2.jpg" alt="" /> Mustafa with Abbas-Mustan. Pics/Shadab Khan
Ask him his favourite Abbas-Mustan film and he seems lost. &ldquo;I can't name one, but I really enjoyed Baazigar (1993) and Khiladi (1992). I was petrified of Arbaaz Khan after watching Daraar (1996). I didn't go to school for a few days after that,&rdquo; he says, laughing out loud.
When we ask him about his father and uncle's obsession with white clothes, he says, &ldquo;I have tried adding a dash of colour to their wardrobe. It's scary when I open their closet; it's all white. But that's a shade of their personality now. I often joke, 'Aap aaj kya pehnogey? White shirt?'.&rdquo;

Mustafa, son of Abbas Burmawalla of the Men-In-White Abbas-Mustan fame, admits to pressure before acting debut

Mustafa Burmawalla: Got to live up to my family name

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Home / Entertainment / Bollywood News / Article / Mustafa Burmawalla: Got to live up to my family name

Mustafa Burmawalla: Got to live up to my family name

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