Comic Replacement

Why did you stay away from comedy for a large part of your career?

I always had a comic facet to my personality,just that it didn’t reflect in the early phase of my career. I did comedy films such as Hello Brother,and some films with Priyadarshan as well,but the characters were serious and straight-jacketed. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was the film that broke the myth. It gave me freedom to bring elements of my personality into my role. In Dabangg,the humour is more deadpan. Since it came unexpected for the audience,it helped.

So what is your brand of humour?

All the comic roles I have done are an extension of my personality. But I appreciate comedy of all kinds,be it American television show Saturday Night Live,the likes of Eddy Murphy and Chris Rock to the breezy ones such as Friends. In India,I enjoy Johnny Walker and Mehmood’s brand of humour and also David Dhawan and Rohit Shetty’s.

How different is it from Salman and Sohail’s sense of humour?

I know for a fact that we always find the same things funny whenever we are together. We have grown up together and we live life the same way,so we end up laughing at the same things. But,of course,it reflects upon our screen personalities differently. Salman does it in his own way,Sohail is more animated. I am generally little more verbal and less physical.

Now that Sohail is busy directing Mental,I am replacing him as the judge on Comedy Circus.

How do you see yourself as a judge on a reality show?

I don’t want to forcibly show off my sense of humour to the audience. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to sit and watch so many great comic actors perform. So I would just take it easy and slow and enjoy it,the rest will follow.

Now that you have taken to directing and producing,will you be acting in fewer films?

Dabangg 2 was a big film and the fastest sequel in Bollywood. We are ideating about my next production,but I am taking it easy at the moment. My next film as a director won’t be the third instalment of Dabangg. It will be at least two years before I begin work on it since Salman is committed to other projects. It won’t be a big-budget film but will be equally mainstream. My responsibilities as its producer/director don’t leave me time to act and I no more have to think of finances the way I had to when I was just an actor. Now I can take roles that I want to do,and not for the sake of it.