Bollywood largely offers stereotypical roles to me, lucky to have got diverse roles: Sanjay Mishra

Mumbai: Actor Sanjay Mishra says he is grateful to directors who gave him the opportunities to play diverse characters, especially in an industry that is fixated on casting him in comedic roles.

The actor has established a name for himself, primarily through comedic roles in films like Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, Dhamaal, All the Best: Fun Begins, Bunty Aur Babli, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa two and three, among others.

At the same, Mishra has also showcased his range as an actor with performance-driven parts in films such as Ankhon Dekhi, Masaan, Vadh, and Bhakshak.

"Rajat Kapoor and Subhash Kapoor allowed me to be part of movies like Ankhon Dekhi and Phas Gaye Re Obama respectively. But here in the industry, they offer similar roles to an actor."

"For instance, they need Johnny Lever, and Sanjay Mishra for a particular scene in a movie, and cast them in those parts,” Mishra told PTI in an interview.

Citing the example of late Hindi cinema icon Mehmood, the actor said people knew him mostly for comedic roles, but he also made Kunwara Baap, a film with a serious message about polio vaccination.

"If you don’t take a chance, then how will things change?" he asked.

Mishra believes that it is the fear of losing money that prevents filmmakers from casting actors like him in more unconventional roles.

“A lot of money goes into making a movie. For instance, if I would’ve got the role of Bhoot in Bhool Bhulaiyaa, then the film would be minus Rs. 400 crores.

"In the industry, it is fixed that this kind of role is made for so-and-so actors because it is about math (return on investment). That’s why content-driven films are being made, and you can do what you wish to do (with them)," he said.

Mishra, however, is committed to exploring diverse roles.

He is set to appear in the upcoming feature Jaaiye Aap Kahan Jaayenge, a fictional tale where a man named Kishan attempts to do good for society, especially women, by innovating a mobile toilet rickshaw to overcome this challenge.

The film stars Karan Aanand as Kishan, also known as Sadhu, Mishra as the father, Adrija as the daughter, and Monal Gajjar as the wife, alongside Ishtiyaq Khan, Neeraj Sood, Subrat Dutta, and Hrishita Bhatt in pivotal roles.

Mishra recounts his collaborative journey with director Nikhil Raj Singh and said the film developed during their road trips across India.

“We should do some films that other people will talk about and say to you, ‘I’ll watch the film too... When you are a part of a story since its development stage, then you’ve to do it. I’m sure people in the future will say, ‘You did a good film’.” Aanand expressed gratitude to the director for entrusting him with the role of Kishan.

“I liked the relationships shown in the film-between father-son, father-daughter, and husband-wife. There’s a social message in the movie, which I believe will touch everyone. The film talks about a problem and provides a solution to it,” he said.

Gajjar admits having reservations about portraying a woman from a village yet again.

Having taken on a similar role in her previous film Kaagaz (2021), she expressed concern about being typecast.

“When this film came up, I was like if I do this film, then I’ll get stereotyped. It will be like; I do this kind of work only. Generally, makers tend to look at you in a similar zone. However, I felt the story was beautiful with a cause, and I wanted to be part of something challenging,” Gajjar said.

Both Aanand and Gajjar said Jaaiye Aap Kahan Jaayenge is different from Akshay Kumar's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. The 2017 movie, also starring Bhumi Pednekar, is a story of a man, who tries to win back his wife by building a toilet at his home.

“When you hear the one-liner you think, ‘This film talks about toilet’ but when you understand the whole story you will realise that the film is not just about the toilets,” Gajjar said.

Aanand said, “In this film, the problem is about the lack of public toilets for women and we’ve provided a solution to this, with the idea of a moving toilet.” Presented by Fun Entertainment in association with Purajit Productions, Jaaiye Aap Kahan Jaayenge is produced by Hanwant Khatri and co-produced by Purajit Productions.

The film, which was released recently on Prasar Bharati’s new OTT space, Waves, will open in theatres on December 20.