'I travelled more to Mumbai than from Islamabad to Pindi': Imran Abbas

Known for his impeccable charm and versatility, Imran Abbas reminisced about his unforgettable journeys to India, revealing the profound connections he forged there. He particularly admires the cultural diversity that resonated with him the most.

As an architect, Imran Abbas instinctively directs his attention to architecture and art during his travels. During his first visit to India, he was notably impressed by the artwork at Delhi airport, expressing that he artwork at the airport beautifully encapsulates the essence of Indian art, culture, and economy.

While praising Delhi's airport, he stated, "It stands as a magnificent symbol. This is how a country effectively represents itself to the world."

In a recent podcast, Imran disclosed that he had received numerous offers from India. He holds the distinction of being among the initial actors who ventured to India, securing offers from major production houses such as Yash Raj, Dharma Production, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Santoshi, T-Series, Tips, and Rajkumar Hirani. 

“I was offered lead roles in significant projects,” he said. 

The 'Khuda Aur Mohabbat' actor maintained that despite what people might say now about not taking on lead roles or big films, “there were circumstances and occasional wrong decisions made in life.”

Reflecting on his extensive travels to India during a time when his “travels from Islamabad to Pindi were less frequent than those to Bombay,” as noted by his mother, he humorously mentioned how people started becoming suspicious, treating him as if he were some kind of agent.

Expressing his fondness for Bombay, where he cultivated meaningful bonds and discovered profound cultural similarities, Imran shared, “I have lovely friends there. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a dear friend of mine, and Mona Kapoor, the ex-wife of Boney Kapoor, is like a raksha bandhan sister to me. I've made so many friends, and now I consider my best friends to be in India. So, I felt right at home when I visited Bombay.”

The 'Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai' actor also disclosed that his parents migrated from India to Pakistan, and they harboured a longstanding wish to revisit their place of birth, which remained unfulfilled due to political tensions between the two countries.

“It's in your genes; you inherit those memories and sense of belonging. Regardless of many times you label them as enemies, one cannot sever those familial ties, especially to a place where your parents were born.” Although Imran’s parents had passed away, Imran visited the their birthplace in India and it was an emotional experience for him, considering his parents' longstanding wish remained unfulfilled due to poltiical tensions between the two countries.

Imran shared that his journeys to foreign countries were primarily work-related, expressing gratitude to the media industry for providing such opportunities.