Arshad: Subhash Kapoor Is As Talented As Raju Hirani

Many will agree that Arshad Warsi is one of the under-utilised actors of Bollywood. Give him a film like Jolly LLB and he will shine. Luckily for him, he has reunited with director Subhash Kapoor for his next, Guddu Rangeela. The actor talks to SpotboyE.com about the film and more. Excerpts:



With Guddu Rangeela, you're back to one of your favourite directors - Subhash Kapoor.
Subhash had this script in mind even before he had written Jolly LLB. He had mentioned it to me while we were shooting for Jolly LLB. So after completing that film, he started working on this script. I like Subhash's sensibility. He picks up a current issue and pairs it up with great humour, action and romance. It's a realistically commercial film and I quite like that space.



So you said yes to the script immediately?
Of course. With someone like Subhash, it will be foolish to say no. For me, Raj (Kumar Hirani) and Subhash are of the same calibre. Subhash is as talented as Raj as a director. These are the two directors whom I have told point blank, "If you promise me you are going to make the worst film in the world, I'll still do it blindly."

Your character Rangeela seems rather interesting.
People always ask me how I manage to play different roles all the time. Thing is, I don't come with pre-conceived notions. I listen to the director and the character the writer has written. Every writer writes his character differently. Like, Abhishek (Chaubey) has written his perception of Babban (Arshad's character in Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya). Now, my job is to play that or for that matter, Jolly, Circuit or Rangeela.

So would you say you're a director's actor?
I'm not a director's actor, thank God! But yes, I want a good director. I understand a script very well, I know how to play the character in the script. Therefore I don't need guidance all the time, but it's good to have somebody to guide you so that you can improvise. I believe till the movie reaches the theatres, you should do whatever you can to improve it.

You're sporting a Haryanvi accent in the film. So did you have to undergo training for that?
I don't do workshops as I'm not good at them. The Bhopali accent in Ishqiya came naturally to me. Getting the Haryanvi accent was tough, it's almost like a different language altogether. Luckily, Subash was well-versed with the language and he helped me.

Moving away from Guddu Rangeela, are you in touch with Sanjay Dutt?
Not much as he is in jail. He will be coming out soon. Once he is out, I shall meet him and we will probably start working on Munna Bhai.



That was, in fact, my next question. Can we expect the next instalment in the Munna Bhai series?
Yes, it will happen. I really want to do it. I love that series. It will be great for Sanju to really get back in the grind with a Munna Bhai. That will really bring him back with force.



You were missing from the promotions of your last film, Welcome To Karachi...
I was called whenever I was needed and not called when I was not needed. When Vashuji (Bhagnani, the producer) required me for press events or shows where he needed good humour, he would call me and I would attend them. I could not do extensive promotions because I was busy with other things and I was not even here. I was in the US then.

There were rumours that you had refused to promote the film.
Those rumours are not true.

Are you planning to produce more movies?
It's quite a headache. But I will direct movies later in life.