Arshad Warsi: I have bruised a lot of egos in the film industry

Two and a half decades is a long time for anyone to not just survive in a competitive industry like Bollywood, but also create a name for self. And Arshad Warsi has managed to do just that, shining in films such as Munnabhai series, Ishqiya (2010) and Golmaal franchise, to name a few.

Recently seen in Durgamati (2020), a horror film for a change, we ask him whether his comedy image ever became a stumbling block for him in his career.

He tells us, “I personally enjoy doing comedy, it’s fun. But yes, I enjoy doing serious roles too when it comes down to them. It’s not that I’ve not been offered, but just that I’ve rejected a lot. The ones I’ve done, did well, like Jolly LLB (2013), Ishqiya.”

The ones which he had to turn down didn’t excite him enough, so he didn’t do it.

“Everybody likes to laugh, so comedies usually do well for the producers too. Also, I’m good at it, so I get taken. I would like to break the monotony, do a few comedies, and a bit of serious roles too, so I feel good as an actor,” says Warsi, who was seen portraying a rather intense character in the web series Asur (2020).

However, it’s easier said than done to turn down roles in a field where egos get hurt easily. And the actor agrees that he has done it along the way, whenever he had to say a no.

“I have bruised a lot of egos. It’s so funny, many times I meet new directors. They hear things about me, and then happen to meet me, and their impression changes dramatically. That’s when the discussion starts with them saying ‘This is what I heard about you’. My answer is very simple, and that’s the truth, that every time I say ‘no’ to a film or director, they’re not going to like it or say good things about you,” admits the actor, who has started shooting for his next, Bachchan Pandey.

Learning the art of saying no is thus something that Warsi had to learn on the job. He continues, “You’ve got to be tactful in saying that. People who’ve worked with me have a completely different opinion of me. It’s okay. If you’re a person who can make everybody happy, then there’s something wrong with you, which I don’t think I need to. A lot of people may have issues, but that’s the way it is.”

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