×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Serious work and no 'badmaashi'

FUN COMPANY
Last Updated 25 April 2010, 11:05 IST
ADVERTISEMENT

He is still remembered for his portrayal of Kajol’s feisty on-screen fiance Kuljeet in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. But Parmeet Sethi has come a long way since the 1995 blockbuster. Donning various roles with ease on both television and films, he is playing a new role these days — that of a director. Not in movies, but in reality! The talented actor is excited about his first directorial venture Badmaash Company starring Shahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, which is slated to hit screens on May 7. 

What took the actor so long to become a director? “I had a very successful stint as an actor so I just couldn’t have just become a director since it’s a new struggle altogether. I wanted to prepare myself well for it.” 

Did Badmaash Company motivate him to become a director? “I was motivated enough anyway. I wrote the story and thought it’s a good script to start off with.” Parmeet admits that the characters in the film are similar to certain people he knows in real life. “For instance, the heroine is similar to my wife Archana (Puran Singh) in many ways. The hero is like me in some ways.”

What’s his reaction to rumours about the film being a copy of the Leonardo Dicaprio starrer Catch Me If You Can? “I don’t believe in copying films. Even if I was, I would have admitted that I am doing a remake. Once you see the film, you will know that everything is fresh and new.”

 The director however admits that the genre of Badmaash Company and Catch Me If You Can is the same. “But can you say Catch Me If You Can is the same as Talented Mr Ripley and Bunty Aur Babli,” he asks.

Ask him to recollect some memorable moments while making the film and he speaks of the stand-up comedian Vir Das.

“Vir has many hot scenes with women. He was mighty embarrassed at first but later on, he wouldn’t want to come out of the shot,” laughs Parmeet. “He would ask for retakes. I guess he was the lucky one in the unit.”

On recent reports that say Aditya Chopra removed a character based on the controversial Abdul Karim Telgi from the film, Parmeet clarifies, “Actually, Aditya had nothing to do with it. It’s just a conscious decision we took as the scene slowed down the pace of the film.”

Currently, Parmeet is busy promoting the film and has not undertaken any projects. “I can’t even think of doing something else right now,” he says.

He admits that direction is a more challenging job than acting. “A director has a bigger responsibility. I had to oversee every department of the film, but it was lots of fun.”
In his free time, Parmeet loves watching movies, especially European and Hollywood. “I am a major sports lover and watch a lot of football too.”

Who are his favourite directors? “Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee inspire me. When it comes to Hollywood directors, I am a big Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood fan,” he signs off.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 25 April 2010, 11:05 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT