Comic Capers

“People really need to be entertained,in a manner in which not only is a particular issue highlighted in front of them,but the point is also driven back home to them,” says Kumar,adding,“That is precisely the answer that I give when people ask me why have I shed my action-hero persona and moved over to doing comedy films. It is not because I am bored of doing action films but that close to 90 per cent of the films that have been commercial block busters in the last five years have been comedy films.”

The film that has Trisha Krishnan making her debut deals with the story of Sachin Tichkule,played by Kumar,who is a honest road contractor,wanting to make a honest living. However a comedy of errors ensures that not only is he sucked deep into the vortex of the corrupt system but also that he has to fight a lot of his close friends and family members to try and stay out of it. “It is a real life scenario,isn’t it?” asks Kumar. “No matter what we say,corruption and red-tapeism in the system,coupled with bureaucratic loopholes ensure that the common man is hard pressed into bribing people to get his work done. The story is a light hearted take on the same issue,” he adds.

While the film was shot over a period of three months,Kumar says that he had to actually observe road contractors,and the way they actually worked,spoke and functioned to get into the character of Tichkule,which was incidentally a name that was coined by him. “Since the film is set in a small town in Maharashtra,the entire look of the character,right down to the money pouch,the umbrella and his mannerisms are something that I picked up from real life road contractors,” says Kumar.

He also says that even though comedy films are close to his heart,he doesn’t rule out the possibility of acting in regional films. “I would love to act in a Marathi film,if I get a script that is really entertaining,” he says in fluent Marathi to emphasise on his Marathi speaking skills. “Regional films actually help one to grow better,and I really hope to be able to act in them as and when the time comes,” he adds.

Kumar also feels that it is imperitive for a film to be able to tell the story in a entertaining way to the audiences. “No one wants to go and watch a film and end up feeling low or crying,after spending a lot of money on the tickets. We have TV soaps for that. If we can make films that can make people laugh,I think that is the best thing that can be done not only for the audiences,but also as far as making a film is concerned,” he says.

As far as his future plans are concerned Kumar says that he is currently shooting for a film titled Action Replay,which,in his words is a sensitive and entertaining film,about finding a time machine. “As far as a challenging role is concerned I would love to play the role of a journalist some day. I just hope to come across a good script that will do justice to the profession,” he says with his trademark grin.