Arshad Warsi: Lucky to have got characters with memorable names, from Circuit and Jolly to Gafoor

Arshad Warsi feels fortunate for his diverse characters, and credits OTT for transforming the industry

Actor Arshad Warsi calls himself “a lucky chap,” “grateful for characters like Circuit from Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Jolly from Jolly LLB, Bhagwat from Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas” and his latest viral “Gafoor from Ba***ds of Bollywood” that have struck a chord with audiences. He says, “You don’t plan these things, bas ho jata hai. When Gafoor came to me, I thought it would be fun to do. The story was in a completely different zone, and I couldn’t say no to something that was so out of the box and brought so many colours on the screen.”

Arshad Warsi

Warsi reveals he took on the role without even hearing the full script. “It was a fun cameo, and an extended one. Aryan (Khan)’s passion for the project was so evident that I just had to do it. Working with a talented young director who brings such unique craft to the table was amazing. For me, Gafoor worked beautifully. The social media trend around it just wouldn’t stop, especially among youngsters,” he smiles.

Talking about his trusted collaborators, he adds, “The Khans are like family to me. There are some people you just trust and can never say no to, of course Shah Rukh (Khan), then Subhash Kapoor, and Raju Hirani.”

The actor believes OTT has changed the game for everyone. “From the smallest actor to the biggest name, everyone is on OTT now. Even Shah Rukh has used the medium brilliantly. Theatres have become too expensive, so people are naturally shifting online.”