MUMBAI: Actor Arshad Warsi, who is popular for playing Circuit in the Munnabhai film series, says that he never played that character outside the franchise as he didn’t want to disrespect it.
The actor added that he received many offers to play Circuit in advertisements but he never accepted them.
“I never played that character again. Playing it again and again will make it lose its sanctity. If I will play it [outside the film] once, then I know for sure that Munnabhai will never be made again. I was asked in many ads to play it, but I refused,” he said in an interview.
The actor, who has been part of the industry for over a decade, feels the only actor who is doing author-backed roles in films is Salman Khan, and others are just playing characters on screen.
“The only person who is doing author-backed roles is Salman because you are writing a script around how he is, what is he like, what he says, what he does — you are writing a film around it. Other than this, all actors are playing characters which are written by someone,” he said.
Arshad has managed to create a good balance between commercial and parallel cinema with films like Munnabhai, Ishqiya, Hulchul and Sehar. However, he admits he never consciously tried to bring about a balance.
“I don’t think so hard in life at all. People send me scripts and I listen to everyone. If I am not interested, I don’t take it up. I am talking about big film-makers as well and not only newcomers,” said the actor, who will soon be seen in the new film, Jolly LLB.
Arshad feels humour is a safe bet today and generally works with the masses.
“If you really look at me, eight out of 10 films I have done are comedy. Humour is the safest bet. Not only me, Akshay [Kumar], Salman, everyone is doing comedy. You can’t help it. The producer wants his money back and comedy is something which people go and see,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2013.
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