“In Jolly LLB, there was bewakoofi and herogiri” – Arshad Warsi

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

March 18, 2013 - 12:44 PM IST

Arshad Warsi has done it. In a career lasting decade and a half, he has managed to score his first success as a solo lead with Jolly LLB. Though he has enjoyed success on a continued note in films which two, three or four main leads, the fact remains that with Jolly LLB, Arshad is turning a new chapter in his career.

There is unanimous appreciation from all quarters for Jolly LLB with not a single soul terming the film disappointing. With 'junta' at large following suit as well, guess the going must be indeed good for you now?
I would give credit to Subhash (Kapoor) for that. He is a great director and knows a thing or two about performances. Usko pata hai ki kahan rokna hai or kitna kheenchna hai. When you are telling the story of a guy who comes from a small town and takes on the biggest lawyer of the country, it is obvious that kahin bewakaoofi hogi aur kahi herogiri. All of that had to be believable and it is this very believability that has worked with the audience.

“In Jolly LLB, there was bewakoofi and herogiri” – Arshad Warsi

What has also worked in a major way is your face-off with Boman Irani. Since the Munnabhai series, seems like he is an antagonist for you in each of your outings together.
In Munnabhai series, the face-off was more between Sanju and Boman (laughs). In case of Jolly LLB, Boman took this film because no one else could have been seen in such a part. He is so believable as a lawyer who is sharp minded with a bang on vocabulary. Something like that comes naturally to him. He was an absolute choice and I remember Subhash keeping the film on hold for two months till Boman stepped in.

It would have been great to see the two of you come together again for Rajkumar Hirani's P.K. However that's not happening. Isn't it disappointing?
Yes, it is very fortunate but really, I didn't have dates. They started shooting last month but then I was committed to Desh Ishqiya around the same time. The film is being shot in Lucknow. Now if I would have given my 25-30 days to P.K. then Ishqiya would have moved to Summers. We couldn't have afforded that due to intense heat in Lucknow around that time period. Further delay would have pushed the film to later this year. That would have been unfair for Vishal (Bhardwaj) and Abhishek (Chaubey), makers of Desh Ishqiya.

Anyways, one looks forward to another sizzling outing between you and Huma Qureshi after you and Vidya Balan set the screen on fire in Ishqiya.
Arrey yaad mat dilao (laughs). I still sh$t bricks thinking about such scenes. I keep telling my directors to avoid anything like that but they don't listen.

Is it the Maria factor at play here? Looks like she doesn't approve of her hubby to get overtly intimate with his heroines!
(Smiles) No, this has nothing to do with pleasing or antagonizing Maria. It is just that I can't do this for screen; I feel very uncomfortable. If I was cool about this, I would have done this in so many films. In any case, I know for sure that I have to indulge in something like this in Dedh Ishqiya. I am frightened already!

As a villain, you did frighten that select little audience which stepped in for Zila Ghaziabad. When the film didn't open well, weren't you worried?
More than me, I am always worried about the producers. Hum toh kaam karke agli film mein chale jaate hain par director aur producer atke rehte hain till their film releases. I am happy for them. Also, for me it was a personal high since for the first time I played a villain and got good feedback coming my way. In this industry people get typecast but at least here the makers thought of me differently. I too enjoyed kyonki main comedy kar kar ke pakk gaya tha. It was like akin to eating the same food every day.

You did taste a different flavour in Bangalore where you have shot Joe B Carvahlo. With your secretary Bhola producing the film, is it by default that you are in fact backing the film?
(Smiles) No no, I have not done anything from monetary perspective. What really happened was that Bhola was desperately looking forward to produce a film. I had this script and asked him that if he really wanted, he could back this one. He has done well in mounting the film.

Another film of yours which was mounted ages ago, Zamaanat (with Amitabh Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor), stays on in the cold storage. Now that its producer and director S. Ramanathan has passed away, are you personally looking at reviving it?
I am a very small part of the film to make any judgment or comment on it. I don't know what is happening on the film. I liked Mr. Ramanathan a lot. It is very unfortunate that he couldn't see the film's release.