Was surprised to be cast as lead in `Zed Plus`: Adil Hussain

New Delhi: Actor Adil Hussain says even though he has played the main hero in several regional and international projects, he was surprised when Chandra Prakash Dwivedi approached him to play the lead in his upcoming Bollywood film 'Zed Plus'.

The 51-year-old actor said he asked the filmmaker several times if he was sure about casting him as the face of the movie as he does not have much market value.
"When I was approached for the lead role, I was surprised as I don't have a market value. I do have a very strong following but very few. I was not confident and I asked Dwivedi ji, 'Are you sure you want to take me in the film?' He said the story is very interesting and we will find a way to sell it.

"He asked me not to worry about it and that is when I felt confident and told him that as long as you want me, I would love to do it," Adil told reporters.

However, the actor from Assam, who has starred in films like 'Ishqiya', 'English Vinglish', 'Life of Pi' and 'Lootera' among others, said he is not trying to make any statement to other directors by doing a lead role.

"This is my first lead role in a Bollywood film. But I have done so many films as a lead which run in theatres in Europe and also in India but without any fanfare in terms of its release. My job is to act and the job of a filmmaker is to find actors who they think are competent for a genre. I don't have to prove anything. I think the film will prove something if it does well at the box office," he said.