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‘NO ONE OFFERS ME ANYTHING APART FROM COMEDY’
Arshad Warsi isn’t worried about being typecast, but feels the comic genre in Bollywood has become ‘chhichhori’
NEHA BHASIN
ANU MALIK
Nishad Neelambaran
It is hard to imagine the Munna Bhai series without Circuit. And the credit for making the character a household name, with sheer comic timing, undoubtedly goes to Arshad Warsi. The actor has carved a niche for himself over his three decades in the industry, more so in the genre of comedy. But ever since he played the role of Circuit, first in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S (2003) and then in Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2007), Arshad has done a number of films but virtually all of them have been in the same genre — comedy.
Ask if he was nervous about getting typecast in the genre, and he says, “Nobody offers me anything apart from comedy. It really doesn’t matter to me. I’ve been here in the industry for a while now... I’m going on and on and I won’t stop.” Besides, Arshad, who featured in several comic films such as Hulchul (2004), Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) and the Golmaal and Dhamaal series, adds actors should worry about their skills rather than being typecast. “I think an actor should have a problem only if he/she doesn’t know how to act. If you know how to act, you should never worry about being typecast. As long as they are casting you, it’s fine,” he says, adding, “Think of a person who is not good at comedy, but his first two movies are a hit by chance. He is the one who has to worry and think, ‘Main toh Bruce Lee banne aaya tha, yeh kya ho gaya, chuslee ban gaya’,” he quips.
And the 51-year-old, who featured in several multistarrers and will next be seen in Anees Bazmee’s Pagalpanti, is also comfortable with ensemble cast films. “I enjoy an ensemble cast. As an audience, if I am going to the theatre to watch such a film,
It’s time we set an example, so that people are so scared that they think before even making advances towards children or adults alike.
SINGER
The show has become the biggest, craziest show ever, and that speaks for itself. Also the fact that people are loving the show, bas khatam ho gayi baat.
MUSIC COMPOSER
Think of a person who is not good at comedy, but his first two movies are a hit by chance. He is the one who has to worry.
ARSHAD WARSI
ACTOR
I’d love to see so many people for the same price (laughs). As an actor and an audience it is a wonderful thing. However, as a writer or a director, it is a bit more challenging to justify so many actors and still give them their space,” shares the Golmaal (2008) actor.
But Arshad is disappointed by the current state of comedy in Bollywood. “There are very few writers who write original comedy. Most source it straight from the internet, which is just sad. Besides, I feel comedy has become very ‘chhichhori’ (cheap). You should write more intelligent comedy.
I wish we had done better. Instead of working harder, we’ve become very complacent,” he adds.