Actor Paresh Rawal seems rather disheartened that the English film he was doing for US-based Miramax films hasn't taken off at all.
It was a plum assignment, kept very hush-hush as Paresh was sworn to secrecy. But it came to light because Rawal, who was to fly to the US for the shoot, abruptly opted out of Vipul Shah's Waqt.
Foreign film postponed
Subsequently, Shah had to cast Boman Irani as a replacement for the same character.
Explains Rawal, "Unfortunately, the foreign film has since been postponed. For that particular role, I even lost weight. And I had to drop out of Waqt, as there was a clash of shooting dates.
But coincidentally, I shot in the US later, for producer Shabbir Boxwala's movie, Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota, which is Naseeruddin Shah's directorial debut, in which I play an overseas show organiser."
| Rawal rap
Paresh has sung a racy rap song in Yun Hota. "I am not a trained singer, but I have a keen music sense," says the actor. "Composer Viju Shah recorded the Hindi-English semi-rap number which goes, Ek baar jaana American janaab, after I practised for about a week.
Both Shabbir and Viju feel this could be as popular as Oye Oye (Tridev), which was picturised on Naseerbhai in 1989. Let's hope people enjoy my untried vocal dimension, too," he laughs. Paresh is very upbeat about his role in SaharaOne's Malamaal, as the only padhaa-likkha villager, a trusted lottery-ticket vendor. Universal appeal
But was it a safe box-office bet to be part of a subject with a rural ambience and small-town characters? "Basic human emotions and wants are universal, whether in a city or a village.
Malamaal is not just an out-and-out Priyadarshan comedy, like Garam Masala or Hera Pheri. It is a character-driven ensemble of a variety of young and old characters, each with his or her peculiar idiosyncrasy.
Amidst this motley group is my central character, the lottery-vendor, who uses his devious ways to usurp the winning ticket, but gets caught in a crazy chakravyuh," justifies the actor, known for his superb comic timing. |
| Perfect dad
Paresh Rawal's actress-wife Swaroop (Sampat), last seen in the film Saathiya, as Viveik Oberoi's mother, is currently in the US finishing her doctorate in dyslexia (abnormal difficulty in reading and spelling) with its bearing on theatre-drama. Playing the perfect father, the busy actor is providing vital support to his son, who is appearing for his exams these days. | |
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