'I take everything with a pinch of salt'

UNDERRATED STAR

My family is both my strength and weakness,” says the multi-talented yet humble actor Arshad Warsi. Perched atop an armrest, he refuses to sit down for a photograph with an infectious smile that both dissuades the photographer and leaves the reporter bewildered.

While he sounds comfortable, a mere mention of his children fills him with emotions of love and happiness. “I try not to do anything that they won’t be able to see" he says in the context of his choice of films. However, he feels compelled to add, “There are just two moments that I cringe a little bit, that is in both Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya - my little smooch scene with Vidya and Huma. These are the only two things that I keep my kids away from otherwise they are free to watch anything. I am very particular about what I do but this I can't help,” says the actor whose film Dedh Ishqiya is all set to release.  

“But its not a cheap film. It is beautifully done and both Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya have respectable moments. ‘Babban’ is the character I enjoy. You can make as many sequels and I will yet love playing this character who is the most obnoxious guy. I know when my kids will grow up, they will understand and be proud of me rather than be embarrassed since its not like Grand Masti,” adds the family-man. Unlike many, Arshad is reluctant to glamorise his life struggles.

“I personally haven't gone through any struggle,” he says in a hushed voice reasoning that he “never wanted to be an actor. I did not come from some village and lived on the streets dreaming and struggling to become an actor. While most people struggle for this opportunity for years, I got it on a platter,” he says smiling. 

Soon his voice turns dreary as he reveals, “After my first film, I was out of job for three years. Boom! At that time, I could neither go back to my old job nor get something more in the new one. I wondered what the hell to do? This happened again after I did Munnabhai (M.B.B.S.). For 8-9 months, I didn't have a film and was completely shocked! I asked Raju (Hirani), why am I without work after having done a good job? He said, ‘Arshad nobody knows where to put you! You can be either in the second lead or as the hero. Till somebody gets the guts to cast you, you have to wait!’,” he says introspecting his body of work where he was left at the mercy of destiny. “I take everything with a pinch of salt now,” he says as things get back to square one.

“I would rather do a Jolly LLB than one big fat dud. It's a stupid thinking but what to do?” he says candidly failing to reason out his choices which he selects on the basis of script, such as his latest release Mr Joe B Carvalho. “I like these clean-cut comedies. This is my space and thank God somebody is making such films. If sex-oriented comedies is the only genre that is going to be made, then I am going to be jobless again! So I better start thinking something about it,” he giggles.