Exclusive! Paresh Rawal on playing Sunil Dutt in Sanju: Getting his aura right was the most difficult part

Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal, is currently garnering huge love for his impeccable portrayal of late actor and Bollywood icon Sunil Dutt in Ranbir Kapoor's film 'Sanju'. While Rabir's depiction of Sanjay Dutt's life is obviously getting a lot of praise from all quarters, Paresh's back is also being patted for bringing alive the yesteryear actor on the silver screen. In an exclusive chat with DNAIndia.com, Paresh Rawal revealed that bringing Sunil Dutt's aura to life was the most difficult part of his role. 

Here's Paresh Rawal's full interview - 

You have been in this industry for so long but this trend of promoting movies has only begun recently. How are you liking the business of film promotions?

(Laughs) Not to demean anybody, but I don't like it atall. See, it should be limited (to only a few channels, dailies or websites). But, you are made to give interviews to everyone. By the evening you really get tired repeating yourself. You yourself start getting bored with your repeated answers. Sometimes things go wrong also when you deliberately try to add new things to make your answers sound new. I personally don't like it (movie promotions). 

Kareena Kapoor Khan had recently said that a film's trailer is enough and promotions do not really help changing people's minds.

Yeah, exactly. See, I will give you two examples. I don't want to name the star. We had gone out of Bombay (Mumbai). It was a big city and we had gone to a mall (to promote a film). Some 5000 to 6000 people had turned up on that particular day at the mall. They were all waving and hooting for the star.

The distributor was a friend of mine so when the film got released I called him up on Saturday to ask how was the reponse. He told me that only 83 tickets were sold! I got surprised and asked him 'but so many people were there at the mall yesterday.' He told me that they had just come to see the star, not the film. Only, the food fourt department of the mall benefited out of the whole gig. It didn't help us at all! 

Another thing is promotional songs. The trend has thankfully slowed down now but a few years back songs were being made solely for film promotions. These songs don't necessarily have anything to do with the plot line of the films. For example, I might be playing a professor in the film but in the song I would be seen monkeying around. Which means you are agressively promoting a wrong picture of the film. You are misguiding people. And mind you, these songs are made on huge budgets. I don't understand this at all. 

You are playing Sunil Dutt in Sanju. Were you aware that the role was earlier offered to Aamir Khan?

I really don't know. Many actors had given screen tests for the role. I was perhaps the last one. But last or first, I am just very happy that I got to work with Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) and Ranbir Kapoor. More importantly, I am happy that I got to become a part of this film. 

What is you first memory of Sunil Dutt ?

He was a good man. A noble human being. He was one man who used to actually practice what he used to preach. A genuinely, good man, that is my impression for him. 

Have you had the opportunity of meeting him in person?

Yes, I had met him two-three times. You felt like you are meeting a nice person. You could tell that he would never lie to you. He would never advise anything wrong. 

How difficult was it to bring his aura to life on the screen?

Very difficult. It was more of an internal process. 

For Rajkumar Hirani, 'Sanju' is first a father-son story then anything else. What kind of an equation do you share with your on-screen son Ranbir Kapoor? And did your off-screen relationship with him help you in anyway? 

Ranbir was of immense help. His performance was so good that there were times when I used to just react organically without even making an effort to 'act'. Plus, the script and the director play a huge role. Rajkumar Hirani is a gem of a person. You can trust him completely. I believe if the atmosphere on the set is positive, it definitely reflects on the screen. Your work becomes easy if the environment on the set is healthy and positive. 

When you were finalised for Sanju, what were you more excited about - working in a Rajkumar Hirani film or playing Sunil Dutt?

I was actually going to become a part of Munna Bhai MBBS. (He was reportedly offered Boman Irani's role in the film.) But, for some reason I couldn't do it. Since then whenever I used to watch his films, I always used to think 'when will I get to work with him ?'. So, the desire was always there. So ofcourse I was more happy that I was finally getting to work with Rajkumar Hirani.

Then, the script. Also, Ranbir Kapoor is one of my favourite actors from the younger lot. Above all this, I was asked to essay Sunil Dutt's role, who has always been one of my favourites. Many years ago, I had said in one of my interviews that 'this is one man who can go anywhere in public with utmost ease. His face radiates honesty. This man had travelled to Golden Temple, Amritsar from Mumbai on foot.

Ek hota haina ki chalo uda do Sunil Dutt ko, let's make an example out of him. Khauf baith jaayega. Par kisiki goli nahi chali thi iss aadmi ke upar. (This could have been a great opportunity for some to inject fear in people's hearts but no bullets were fired on him.) He was satya (truth). 

How was it like working with the rest of the cast? 

Vicky Kaushal - again a bright talent! I had liked him a lot in Masaan aswell. The control of the young generation on their craft, their poise, really, really amazes me. I didn't have scenes with Anushka (Sharma) and Sonam (Kapoor). I have earlier worked with Dia ji (Mirza) in a film. But, I didn't have scenes with her either. I have earlier worked with Manisha ji (Koirala) as well. It was called 'Milan'. It was a Mahesh Bhatt film with Jackie Shroff and her. She is still as dignified, beautiful and poised as she was then. 

Madhuri Dixit Nene had said in a recent interview that she feels great coming back to the sets because things are more organised now. Everything is pre-planned and actors are more disciplined. 

Yes, that's true. It feels great. This is how it should be. This is the discipline that the craft requires. I feel, two films that had come in 2000s - Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai, really changed the gears of the industry. Aamir Khan shot the film in Bhuj not Lonavala or anywhere  - Bhuj, far away from Mumbai! It must have required a lot of planning and research.

Secondly, Dil Chahta Hai - different characterisation, different language, absolutely different voice. It didn't feel like the actors were saying dialogues. It seemed as if they were just normally conversing. They truly kicked off the millenium on a great start. 

How are you liking today's films? 

I recently saw Raazi - Waah! (Wow) Meghna ji (Gulzar) kamaal hain (is amazing). Alia adhbudh (is incredible). Even Rajit bhai (Kapur). 

Do you feel Bollywood is in safe hands?

Golden period aane wala hai (is about to come). We are going towards it. Actors saare usi kisam ke aa rahe hain. (All the new actors are promising.) Rajkummar Rao, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Irrfan Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sushant Singh Rajput - they are all wonderful. I want to work with all of them. Even Rajeev Khadelwal. His luck his not by his side these days but he is also immensely talented. 

Any genre that you want to try your hands at?

Musical tragedy. We are making a drama - let's see how it goes. 

Bollywood is riding high on the trend of Biopics these days. You have yourself been a part of several successful biopics like 'Sardar' (played Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel), 'Road to Sangam' (essayed the role of Hasmat Ullah Khan), 'Tamanna' (played Tikku's role) and the latest being 'Sanju' (portrays Sunil Dutt). How do you see this trend? 

I am glad that we have finally departed from superficial things and started recognizing the stories of common people as 'drama'. For example, when you see MS Dhoni (played by Sushant Singh Rajput) sitting on the platform of a station, you get to know a lot about his character. That our films have dropped the cliche, overt kind of melo-drama, is a huge relief. I am really liking it that such stories are being told.

How is the Narendra Modi biopic shaping up?

The script has almost been locked. We will go on floors sometime around September-October.

Will you just be producing it or...?

No, I will just be acting in it (smiles). 

If a biopic is made on you in future, who would you like to play your role? 

You mean a biopic on me? Why would any one make a biopic on me? I would have lived my life a certain way, had I known that a biopic will be made on it in future. I agree, every person's life has enough drama to be translated into a movie but I can't say the same about myself. I don't have any actor's name in mind in particular. But, I would want a good actor to play it for sure. 

Ranbir Kapoor had admitted at the trailer lauch of 'Sanju' that he hasn't got the guts, like Sanjay Dutt, to narrate his real-life story to anyone. Would you be able to tell your story with honesty?

I don't think it would be very difficult for me to open the chapters of my life because there isn't much there. Rajkumar Hirani had told him (Sanjay Dutt) clearly that they won't glorify his life and the fact that Sanjay still went on to share his story was indeed courrageous of him. 

Is Hera Pheri 3 actually happening?

Don't know. I have been hearing about it since ages but no one has approached me yet. But I believe it should be made, it's a terrific film, a terrific frachise. But they should show some growth in the characters otherwise there is no fun in doing the same, old thing again and again. They should also have an interesting story. For example, Lage Raho Munna Bhai was technically Munna Bhai MBBS' sequel but they showed a quantum leap. If some one has the guts to make a sequel of Hera Pheri, they should make it like this.

You are right. Phir Hera Pheri wasn't loved as much as Hera Pheri. 

We made a mistake there. Perhaps got a little too over-smart. I know, it didn't work. If they really want to do it then they should take Babu Rao's character somewhere. That character is self-sufficient in himself. He can be fitted anywhere in the plot. He is cunning, gullible, vulnerable, stupid, heroic, humane all at the same time. That character has a lot of colours within itself. He's somewhat like R.K Lakshman's 'common man'.

Do you consider Hera Pheri as a milestone of your career? 

I think it was 'Arjun', my first mainstream film. Javed Saab (Javed Akhtar) and Salim Khan had told me then that 'if there is someone who can replace you in this industry then it's you, yourself.' 

You have mostly played negative characters in Telugu films while you are known as a comedy actor in Bollywood. How does this work? 

No, so I had started out with negative characters only. But the thing with our Hindi Film Industry is that they start offering you the same kind of roles again and again if you have got it right in one film. They don't understand that a single cook can be capable of making idli, pasta and bajre ki roti all at the same time. If they have seen you making idli, they will only ask you to make idlis. 

Do you pick such roles intentionally to balance out? 

No, No. I have played positive roles in South films also. Why should I cage myself? If I am getting to experiment something new in a different language, why shouldn't I do it? Firstly I get paid for it, secondly I get to learn new languages and I also get to do different kind of roles. It has always been a win win situation for me. I can't settle for routine kind of roles anymore. 

Some of your fans were really upset to see you doing such a small role in Salman Khan's Tiger Zinda Hai. What would you like to say to them?

I think it's really important to see how a particular role is placed in the entire story. Also, the biggest reason was that this was the first time in my 34-year-long career that I was getting to work with the Yash Raj Films' banner. So, I was really happy that I was finally getting to tick that off my list. And, I had also liked the character very much. When Adi had called me for the film, he had told it's a good role. 

Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and you have always stuck to being character actors. OMG has been the only exception where you had got to play a lead role for the first time in your acting career. Do you think there are not enough stories being written for the middle-aged men today?

Amitabh Bachchan is still working so that clearly shows that stories are being written. I honestly have no complains from Bollywood. There is enough for everyone in the industry. Subjects like OMG get made only once in a century. But it didn't get any recognition at any award function. Had it received even a single award, it might have encouraged others to make more films like these. But this happens. I have no complains as such. I just do my work. I always have theatre to go back to where I get to satiate my hunger of playing different kind of roles. 

You are quite active on Social Media. What is your take on it?

To some extent, it's important. But one should try to be positive. There have been times when even I got a little carried away and made some mistakes. But I have learnt this from Modi Ji (PM Narendra Modi) to never tweet anything negative. You pick any tweet from his handle and you wouldn't be able to find a single negative tweet. 

As far as spreading poison is concerned, anyone can do it. Twitter had become a puking pot at one point of time, I think it has got better now. People used to say obnoxious things on the platform. I used to block them instantly. I never reply back. Because I know they are waiting for your attention. I never acknowledge them.

Why does your twitter handle read 'Sir' Paresh Rawal?

When I was making the account, I got to know that the name 'Paresh Rawal' was already taken. My account was made by a friend of mine who resides in America. I honestly didn't even know how to make it. So co-incidentally on the day when he was making my account, my film 'Sir' was airing on television. He asked me if he should add 'Sir' in my Twitter handle. I told him, 'go ahead'.