Shreyas Talpade on ‘magic’ of old Hindi comedy films: People do miss them

Shreyas Talpade discusses evolution of comedy films, expressing nostalgia for classics like Phir Hera Pheri. He also shares his excitement for Housefull 5.

Shreyas Talpade’s film career began during a time when comedy films were enjoying a golden era, with iconic movies like Golmaal (2006), Phir Hera Pheri, and Garam Masala (both 2005) dominating the scene. These films, some of which starred Talpade himself, have since come to be regarded as classics in Hindi cinema. However, when comparing them to the comedies of today, many cinephiles feel the genre lacks the same charm.

Shreyas Talpade

Talpade himself acknowledges this sentiment, saying, “I have always enjoyed doing comedy films. In every film of mine, I feel there needs to be some moment where people laugh. I was once known as a serious actor, and then comedy happened. Now, I am known for it. I have no complaints or regrets. We need to make more such films. What has happened today is OTT.”

Elaborating further, Talpade touches upon the shift in content consumption, particularly through OTT platforms. He shares, “On this medium, there is a lot of content, and most of that content is either dark or serious,” and continues, “However, we keep searching for more comedies. So the demand is definitely there. Films like Bhagam Bhag (2006), Golmaal were genuinely funny films. Even now there are some, but they are far and few.”

Ask about the new Golmaal film and if he has had any discussions with Shetty regarding it, considering his involvement in three previous installments, Talpade responds, ““Rohit only reaches out to actors once his script is ready. I believe he’s still working on it, but I’m eagerly waiting for that call.”