Boman strikes Lucky

Dr Asthana is back as Sardar Lucky Singh. In an animated conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Boman Irani talks about Lage Raho Munnabhai, a- gangster-meets-Gandhi sequel to the immensely popular Munnabhai MBBS.

I think that the film will click. We were always conscious of the fact that we have an added responsibility—to deliver a good film, which is as good as Munnabhai MBBS. It would be great of course if the audience enjoys it more.

I play Sardar Lucky Singh. He seeks Munna and Circuit’s help to sort out an issue regarding his daughters-in-law. Somewhere along the way they differ widely.

That’s correct. I don’t want to sound pompous but I really spent some time with Sardars to give an authentic feel to the character.

That was because I didn’t want the character to look like a caricature. When one plays a character from a certain community, one subconsciously tends to act keeping certain aspects in mind. I didn’t want the character to look stereotyped (pauses)

Lucky Singh is a sharp, intelligent and jolly fellow who can outsmart anyone. But let me make one thing clear. There is no lampooning of the Sardar community. Enough of the Santa-Banta jokes. How often can you show a Parsi stuffed in a car with 16 kids? Let’s get on with it. Let’s get real. The character has shades of grey, but whose point of view is as valid as Munna’s.

Sorry, I am not giving away the story. In a nutshell, Munna and Circuit are divine fools—they are actually supposed to be goons, but end up doing good deeds. Lage Raho Munnabhai is not a grim film, but one that will still make you ask questions.

I have Dibankar Banerjee’s Khosla Ka Ghosla, in which I play a cunning and manipulative builder. The builder sells houses and then uses fraudulent means to get the residents to leave. He is only concerned with making money and does not care for others’ emotions. Also, I play Iftekhar’s role in Farhan Akhtar’s Don—The Chase Begins Again. Also, there is Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, which deals with relationships. Reema Kagti who has done a tremendous job as a first-time director directs it. Finally, there is Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya, in which I play Rana.

Sometimes you do roles because you like them when you hear them, because you see scope to do something differently, but it happens. I deeply respect Dev Anandsaab. I couldn’t say no to him. I did Yun Hota To Kya Hota because I immensely respect Naseersaab as an actor and a person. In Being Cyrus, I got a chance to explore a character I had not played before.

I do take time out for photography, but it’s on a personal level now, only for myself. I am adapting myself to the digital format. As for theatre, that required a lot of time, which I do not get.

Of course. It would be impossible to resist.

—TWF