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Riteish bhau called and I could not refuse: Jitendra Joshi
Actor Jitendra Joshi is all praise for the actor and producer Riteish Deshmukh
After playing a negative character in Baji (2015) and Duniyadari (2013), Jitendra Joshi is back to playing an antagonist in Mauli. The actor will be seen as Nana Londhe, a menacing liquor baron in the Riteish Deshmukh-starrer. This film marks his first association with Riteish and director Aditya Sarpotdar. “I missed a chance of working with Aditya. This time, Riteish bhau called me and I could not refuse. However, he insisted I read the script. And when I did, I was floored and agreed to do the film immediately,” says the Sacred Games actor.
Jitendra says his character Katekar in Sacred Games was loved by many and people showered him with praises. So, he deliberately waited for a role that would be different. “The character Nana is a villain but not a womaniser. He sells liquor but does not drink. I had discussions with Aditya, who helped to create a backstory and get the character right,” he says.
Being an admirer of Aditya’s work, Jitendra was looking forward to the shoot. “I have played negative characters and their looks have been prominent. But here, Aditya went a step ahead. He gave me lenses, and much later, I found out that he did that for me to feel uncomfortable. It would make me itchy and irritable, and that’s what enhanced my character,” he adds,
Jitendra is all praise for the actor and producer Riteish. “He ensured everyone was comfortable and helped us outshine him in the film. He is hilarious and witty. He is a superhuman. And most importantly, I am happy that I earned a fantastic friend and a wonderful colleague,” he says.
