The roly poly comedian with a difference who has become a household name today with his popular roles as Bachcha Yadav and Santosh in the Kapil Sharma Show in a short period of time talks to Jyothi Venkatesh about his role in the film 2016 The End in which he plays one of the four leads.
Is 2016- The End your first film as an actor?
No. I actually had made my debut way back 14 years ago with Ramgopal Verma’s film Darna Mana Hai even before I started my stint on television. My co-stars in Darna Mana Hai were Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Sameera Reddy, Gaurav Kapoor, Boman Irani etc
How did you get a break in films?
I do not belong to a film family. I hail from a Marwari business community. While I was studying in Narsi Monji College in Juhu, I was acting in plays directed by Mahendra Joshi, husband of Aamir Khan’s sister Nikhat. Sharman Joshi was my senior in college. My play All The Best in Hindi proved to be very popular and I travelled all over the world with the play in which my co-actors were Vrajesh Heerji and Iqbal Azad. It had over 400 shows in different parts of the world
How did your tenure on TV start?
It was with the popular TV serial Hatim that my stint started with television. I did quite a few TV shows including FIR which had the longest run. I also did over 500 episodes of Akbar Birbal till recently.
Though The Kapil Sharma show has made you a popular actor today, it was the show FIR proved to be the turning point in your career as an actor!
Yes. FIR did prove to be a turning point in my career but I felt I had to get into a bigger zone as I felt that I was doing the same thing day in and day out but failed to get the status of a celebrity which the show The Kapil Sharma Show gave me instantly
You are playing one of the leads in the film 2016 The End!
Yes. I am playing one of the four leads in the film 2016 The End. I play the son of a Godman with a vast empire of his own. I took up the offer because I wanted to do something different. Divyendu Sharma, Harshad, Priya and Rahul Roy are my co-actors in the film which is directed by Jaideep Chopra
What exactly is the film 2016 The End about?
I’d say that it is a thriller cum romantic film. We are told that the world will end in just seven days. When we stumble upon a car and tonnes of money, we decide to go to Goa and party, with Rahul Roy, who plays a Don chasing us since the car and the tonnes of money belong to him.
Were you ever uncomfortable with your body, because of your obesity?
I have never been uncomfortable with my body. When I started my career, I weighed a little less but yet not thin but yet never considered my weight a hindrance to my career. I
realized that comedy is a very niche market with limited people, who can do real comedy. Comedy is very difficult as it is about how you deliver a joke. Comedy is about timing.
Is the fact that you happen to be fat, a hindrance to your career as an actor?
Your physical appearance should never be the reason why your confidence level is high or low. You should not let your morale go down because of your physical appearance. I did receive a lot of offers to act in films but then steadfastly put my foot down and said no to the run of the mill roles or the roles of just a comedian.
What was your experience being jailed for your act?
It certainly was not a pleasurable experience doing an act in the show Jashn E Ummeed for Zee TV. My comedy act did not go well with a section of the followers of the Saint. I was upfront to say sorry to people who found it offending though it was not at all my intention. All that I can say about this is that you should not take life very seriously.
What next, now that Kapil Sharma is on a break?
I am playing a cop with my former colleague Vishal Kotian. The show will revolve around two cops and is a comedy. I will also start shooting for my new show for SAB TV. I was supposed to do this new show alongside Kapil’s show. But now I will shoot only for the SAB TV show.The new show , yet untitled starring me and Johnny Lever will be directed by Paritosh Painter.
Is your family happy to have the man of the house getting out of the drag and spending time at home?
I always spend a good amount of time with my family. So they aren’t complaining. But they soon will start cribbing when I start the daily soap.
