Sholay's Gabbar is dream role: Babbu Mann

Over the past few years, several Punjabi singers like Gurdas Maan, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Mika Singh, Diljit Dosanjh and Gippy Grewal, have forayed into Bollywood as actors. The latest to hop on to the bandwagon is Punjabi sensation Babbu Maan.

The Dil Ta Pagal Hai singer will play a negative role in an upcoming Hindi film. "If Punjab is home, Bollywood is my second home. The kind of love that I have received from Bollywood makes me want to deliver my best work here," says Maan.

Did he always harbour acting aspirations? Babbu says, "I was fascinated with Bollywood as a child. Every weekend, I would buy newspapers, cut out pictures of actors and stick them on my wall. It was my dream to act in a Bollywood film."

Actors struggle to bag films, but Babbu has already bagged four projects -- even before he makes his debut. "Friends, who have offered me the projects, are not big filmmakers, but the roles are unique. I will play a negative part in the first film. The second is based on a common man and his struggles. My first film is likely to release within a year," says the singer, who wishes to work with directors Rohit Shetty and Anurag Kashyap.

Maan says he doesn't mind acting for free if he gets a role that satisfies his creative sensibilities. Is there a dream role that he wishes to play? "Gabbar Singh from Sholay (1975)."