“Mallika and Kangna are adding to the glam quotient” – Arshad

June 25, 2011 - 4:38 AM IST

Ishqiya, Golmaal 3, F.A.L.T.U. (special appearance) and now Double Dhamaal - G1oing couldn't have been better for Arshad Warsi who is managing to chug along for a decade and a half now even as many others have started and fizzled out in the same time duration. When most films and their actors aim at justifying their comedies by terming them as 'situational' or 'classy', Arshad is merrily flaunting his Double Dhamaal for what it is. In his conversation with Joginder Tuteja, Arshad promises that Double Dhamaal is in a genre of it's own and has the kind of banana peel humour that would not just make it appear as a kids' outing but also turn it into the kind that would appeal to adults alike.

“Mallika and Kangna are adding to the glam quotient” – Arshad

There are quite a few expectations from Double Dhamaal due to it being a franchise. You must have been conscious about it before you consented to do it, right?

Oh yes, I was very conscious of that. After all one has to be a lot more careful when it comes to sequels; they have to be far better that the first in the series. Pressure kaafi badh jaata hai aur main toh jaise iska aadi ho gaya hoon. Pehle Munnabhai, then there was Golmaal and now Double Dhamaal. Meri sequels ka world record ban raha hai aur mera band baj raha hai (laughs).

Meri sequels ka world record ban raha hai aur mera band baj raha hai

That sounds good but on a serious note, how was the preparation towards getting Double Dhamaal just the perfect sequel?

See the idea was to make it bigger and better and that too not just in scale and budget but also content. From the look perspective, we had to make it far glossier and commercial. Good care was taken of sets, locations and also most importantly, the First Look. Aaj ki date mein that is so very important. You watch a promo and there and then decide if you are going to step into the film or not. After the first promo, there is never a second chance.

Well, seems like the move worked after all. I can already see the characters being far goofier than before.

The smart thing that Induji (Indra Kumar) has done is that he has made the entire film character based. Also, I am proud of the fact that all four of us (including Riteish, Javed and Ashish) are more stupid than before and as useless as ever (laughs). No one has turned smart in all these years. So while we think that we are smart, we have actually crossed all limits of being absolute idiots.

Thankfully there are girls to brighten up the scene....

Arrey, aisa mat kaho, hum bhi bright hai, akal se nahi par at least shakal se (laughs). But yeah, the glamour quotient has been doubled in Double Dhamaal with Mallika Sherawat and Kangna Ranaut joining us. Unfortunately though both of them are seen with Sanjay Dutt. But its okay, for audience there are these hot women out there who are adding to the glamour quotient. Because of them the film is now looking eye pleasing and richer.

You were left a little poorer though with your debut production Hum Tum Aur Ghost. In the hindsight, what you do you think went wrong with the film?

Abhi kya bolen, it is hard to pin point. May be the script was bad, may it wasn't directed well. Of course kuch toh gadbad thi but I never sat down and pondered over it. Jaane do yaar!

Well, you also let go off Maximum stating that the role wasn't good. But then your Ishqiya partner Naseruddin Shah gladly accepted the role. Yahan kya gadbad thi? How come a role not good enough for you turn out to be fascinating for Naseruddin Shah?

Every actor is free to make the choice that he wants to make. May be for Naseer saab it was fine....

I don't really know much about Golmaal 4

Meanwhile what are you up to after Zila Ghaziabad, Jolly LLB and Munnabhai 3? Is Golmaal 4 happening next year?

Frankly, I don't really know much about Golmaal 4. I heard from some people that there is planning happening for the film. But then everyone associated with it is so busy right now. Even if it is launched, I don't see it going on floors before next year.

With such interesting work happening and some continued successes; can one say life is 'dhamaal' for Arshad?

The kind of work I am getting, it is 'double dhamaal' (laughs).