ENTERTAINMENT

Says Ali Asgar, ruing the fact that people now only want to cast him as a woman in TV shows

“Daily soaps are a scary deal these days because of the working hours, storylines and shoot locations,” says Ali Asgar.

Ali Asgar is a well-known television celebrity and in the last few years, he has been playing a woman’s role in comedy shows including the role of Nani in The Kapil Sharma Show. Ali has the constant grouse that even though he wants to play a male role on television, he isn’t offered the roles he would like to essay. He is awaiting a ‘normal’ project, as his kids don’t approve of him playing a woman in TV shows. He says, “They ask me why I play a woman? How do I tell them that it’s isn’t something I choose to do. I would love to play a man on screen. But I have to make a professional choice from the roles that are offered to me. In this industry, you get slotted as a comedian after a hit show. If you are loved in a role where you are dressed as a woman, then you get only those kinds of roles. It is unfortunate but true. People love watching me play a woman on screen, so I get such roles. But whenever I get the chance to do something different or something related to kids, I jump at the opportunity.”

While Ali has proved his mettle in comic roles, he also delivered a good performance as Kamal Aggarwal in the TV show Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. Ask him if he is keen on doing a daily soap and he says, “Daily soaps are a scary deal these days because of the working hours, storylines and shoot locations. Post the experience on my last comedy show, Woh Teri Bhabhi Hai Pagle, I am a little scared to take up a daily soap. In fact, I would love to do a dramatic show but only if things work out (the way I want). I can bet that actors today don’t get a role like Kamal, which had so many shades. I would love to play a negative role and I don’t want to stick to only comedy.”

In fact, I would love to do a dramatic show but only if things work out (the way I want). ALI ASGAR, ACTOR