Versatile actor Paresh Rawal is fed up doing mostly comic roles and want filmmakers to offer him serious roles. He is also upset with the poor state of comedy in Bollywood and thinks it is heading towards doom.

You have yet another comic release coming up.

I have just returned from shooting for Ahmed Khan's 'Fool and Final', which is another caper. I'm seriously fed up. I won't touch anything dubious. But 'Malamaal Weekly' was enjoyable. The flavour is not farcical. It's not just a comedy, or a family film or a thriller. The pleasure of working with Omji (Om Puri) in an entire film is rare. It gave me a chance to rejuvenate myself as an actor. I am his fan. It's very rare to come across actors who aren't selfish.

But your director, Priyadarshan said there was healthy rivalry between you and Om?

Oh yes, it was great fun improvising between the two of us, and to see who would get the last word in. There are only a few people in the film industry that I admire as actors and human beings. Omji is one of them. He is such a sweetheart. (more…)

It seems like Parineeta girl Vidya Balan has become everybody’s favorite. Deepa Mehta who has till date made films on serious issues has decided to cast Vidya as Stella for her next film which will be a comic caper.

Deepa is doing something different by going for a comic genre and so is Vidya. Vidya has developed a serious image in the industry but with this international film tentatively titled Stella she will break her sober mold.

So how Deepa decided to cast Vidya? “I saw Vidya in Parineeta, and thought there was something extremely warm, earthy and old-worldly about her. Lurking beneath the graceful presence is a sense of mischief which you can see in the lighter flirtatious moments in Parineeta. I want to tap into that side of Vidya”, said Deepa Mehta. (more…)