In his conversation with Lehren, Rajpal Yadav expressed admiration for Charlie Chaplin, considering him a timeless comedic genius whose work continues to inspire.
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00:00 On screen or behind the screen, no one has ever done this.
00:04 I got a chance to live, I liked a lot of things, so I tried to steal it.
00:08 And I considered it as a life experience.
00:11 The day an artist is called an artist, you can say that his downfall starts from that moment.
00:18 It is said that there are some amazing things in life,
00:22 which come in small packages, one of them is Rajpal Yadav.
00:25 When they are seen on screen, they make big people sweat.
00:29 These days, Imran Hasmi also sweats a lot.
00:31 Let's try to know from Rajpal himself, why he is sweating so much.
00:35 Rajpal, welcome to Lehren.
00:37 Tell us, why is Imran Hasmi worried these days, why is he sweating?
00:41 I also want to ask, Imran is such a good actor, he is doing a mind-blowing job.
00:47 So, why would Imran sweat?
00:50 And, no one should sweat, why should anyone sweat?
00:54 Yes, if you sweat physically, then it is a real thing, it keeps coming.
00:59 There is a news in the market, that Imran Hasmi, who is called Kisar Boy,
01:05 but Rajpal Yadav, there is a film coming, which is 25-30 kisses, which is foreign.
01:10 I think, it is good, I have also forgotten my name,
01:16 sometimes I am Item Boy, sometimes Kisar Boy, sometimes Comedian,
01:20 sometimes Negative, sometimes Funny Guy, I don't know, I don't know either.
01:25 But, I would like to say that 25-30 kisses, oh my God, I don't know,
01:32 but I have played a character, who is a very funny character,
01:36 and in that, he always runs after girls,
01:40 and the girl, who he gets a chance to date, he kisses her.
01:44 There is a lot of difference between running and kissing,
01:47 but you have never kissed anyone on screen?
01:50 No, no, on screen and behind the screen, I have never kissed anyone like this.
01:54 If Bhabhi ji watches this film, she will not get angry?
01:59 No, Bhabhi ji is so intelligent, that 70 people are standing,
02:02 where this scene is going on,
02:05 so there, in front of 70 people, you are acting,
02:09 and you don't feel anything, while acting,
02:14 that you are kissing someone, or what you are doing.
02:17 Actually, that is a scene, and in the scene,
02:21 if you, according to the demand of the scene,
02:24 then it is not bad for the girl, nor is it bad for me.
02:29 That is a scene, a character's mentality,
02:34 which means, it has a lot of influence on the foreign traditions,
02:41 and she always likes the foreign traditions.
02:45 And in foreign, every other person meets each other,
02:50 so we shake hands with them, or hug them,
02:55 and in that, first of all, this happens.
02:58 Tell me, when you did not come in films,
03:02 when you were struggling, as far as I know,
03:05 you are from a small city, you belong to UP,
03:08 you are from Shahjahanpur, you have taken acting lessons from BNA,
03:12 and then from Delhi NSD, you have taken acting lessons.
03:15 This long journey, and then,
03:17 this long struggle to survive in the film industry,
03:21 how was this journey?
03:23 Very exciting, very exciting.
03:25 It was good, it was fun.
03:27 This thing was very good, that, by the grace of Guruji,
03:32 everything started step by step.
03:36 When I joined the theatre in Shahjahanpur in 1986,
03:39 I reached the lead roles in the theatre in 1990 and 1989.
03:45 Then after that, I went to Delhi and Lucknow for 4-5 years of training.
03:49 Then when I came to Mumbai,
03:52 my serial also started with a scene,
03:55 and within a year, we got the serial of Prakash Haji,
03:58 'Mungeri Bhaina Aur Rangilal'.
04:00 Then again, when I started in films,
04:03 it started with a scene, 'Shool',
04:06 and then one scene, two scenes,
04:08 then we got a break in 'Jungle',
04:10 and then again, two scenes, four scenes, ten scenes,
04:13 negative, positive, comic.
04:15 And now, in 2007-2006,
04:20 we got a supporting lead,
04:23 so we have proper story characters,
04:25 responsible characters,
04:27 and we have also started getting lead roles.
04:30 So, one by one, I got a chance to live a life,
04:33 in which I liked a lot, so I tried to steal it,
04:36 in which there was no harm to others,
04:39 and I felt bad, so I tried to neglect it,
04:41 and the one who felt very bad,
04:43 I considered it as an experience of life.
04:45 But, as they say,
04:48 that every down and up,
04:50 the life that takes shape,
04:53 I think, that is the grace of Guruji,
04:55 and that is God's blessing,
04:56 that is God's screenplay.
04:57 So, we are trying to live a good life,
05:00 according to the time,
05:02 and do our mission,
05:04 or whatever work we want to do,
05:05 with full honesty, with full dedication.
05:09 Although, your first film 'Mast',
05:12 is said to be,
05:13 but after that, in 'Shool',
05:15 'Shool' is the first film,
05:17 'Mast' is the second,
05:18 in 'Mast' also,
05:19 I had done 'Shool',
05:21 so I had kept 'Mast' with me,
05:23 and at that time, 'Jungle' was announced,
05:26 so the third film, 'Jungle',
05:28 came as a break.
05:29 In 'Shool', you had a separate character,
05:31 in the role of a pedal rickshaw driver,
05:32 you played it well,
05:34 and you got a lot of appreciation,
05:35 after that only, you noticed.
05:37 No, yes, the biggest thing,
05:39 in that, I came in Ramuji's mind,
05:43 that he liked that scene so much,
05:46 that he kept 'Mast' also,
05:48 and then gave me a break in 'Jungle'.
05:50 Although, till date, Rajpal Yadav,
05:54 is known as a comedy actor,
05:56 but now,
05:58 That's not true, now,
06:00 yes, he was known,
06:02 or he was known,
06:04 or people know,
06:06 but in this,
06:07 I have your prayers,
06:08 and we have also made a lot of effort,
06:10 that I don't want to be in any 'Tamga',
06:12 because, what is it,
06:14 I know the limitations,
06:15 that what can I do,
06:17 and I still have,
06:19 such 50 characters,
06:21 which are totally untouched,
06:23 which are above my mind,
06:25 and which I have observed,
06:27 in the society, among you all.
06:29 I, comedy,
06:30 see, in today's date,
06:32 there are no comedy films,
06:33 nor in today's date,
06:34 there are serious films,
06:35 nor in today's date,
06:36 there are films with tragedy.
06:37 In today's date,
06:38 only and only entertainment,
06:40 is on its youth,
06:42 and entertainment is such a good thing,
06:45 that in that,
06:46 if you do comedy,
06:47 or do tragedy,
06:49 but the audience,
06:50 who is investing their money and time,
06:52 should not have any headache.
06:55 If you take today's date,
06:57 if you take this year's films,
06:59 that if the partners enjoyed a lot,
07:01 then, 'Chakde' enjoyed a lot,
07:05 then there is one more film,
07:06 whose name is 'Tare Zameen Par',
07:08 in that also, people enjoyed a lot.
07:11 So, cinema is this, entertainment.
07:13 In entertainment,
07:15 there are comic situations,
07:16 comic films,
07:18 so you are entertaining,
07:19 if you call it a comedy film,
07:23 and people have a headache after watching it for 10 minutes,
07:25 then it is a tragedy film.
07:27 And if you watch a serious film,
07:29 and you have a headache after watching it,
07:31 and you are amazed,
07:33 that you got a chance to watch such a good film,
07:35 then it is an entertaining film.
07:38 And we believe in entertainment,
07:40 and whatever role you want,
07:42 you can take 'Hangama',
07:43 or 'Waqt',
07:44 or 'Munse Shadhi Karogi',
07:46 or 'Mala Mal Bikli',
07:48 or 'Jungle',
07:51 or 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahati Hoon',
07:53 'Main Meri Patni',
07:54 in any film,
07:55 even for a second,
07:57 and I have said this in thousands of interviews,
08:00 that I neither do comedy,
08:02 nor comedy,
08:03 we don't have any such formula,
08:06 - This is natural acting.
08:08 - Yes, because of which I have put that formula,
08:10 and comedy acting has been created.
08:12 I follow the director's interpretation,
08:15 and try to,
08:17 that the timing of my character is good,
08:21 and the character is set for that,
08:24 and the contribution of that character is good.
08:26 And because of that,
08:28 you all liked it,
08:32 and you got energy,
08:34 and everyone got blessings,
08:35 and we also got a lot of energy to work further,
08:38 but if what I am doing is called comedy,
08:42 then I want to do this work for life.
08:45 - Tell us one more thing,
08:47 what do you do apart from films?
08:49 If you didn't become a film actor,
08:51 what would you be?
08:53 - This is a very cliché question,
08:56 and also a very old question,
08:58 that if you weren't this,
08:59 what would you be?
09:00 I think,
09:01 earlier we could say that this and that would be,
09:05 but in today's date,
09:08 there is a place for everyone in a certain field,
09:11 and God has created a place for us in this field,
09:14 so we would have made an effort,
09:16 but still nothing would have happened.
09:18 This is what happens.
09:19 - So from the beginning,
09:21 you knew that you have to do acting,
09:23 and you had dedicated your whole life for acting?
09:25 - Yes, this Anurag,
09:27 this was very good,
09:30 in 1986 and 1987,
09:32 we had decided,
09:34 that whether we play on the stage,
09:36 or on the road,
09:38 or on TV,
09:40 or in cinema,
09:41 but we will do acting only.
09:43 And how the stage would change,
09:47 we never thought that we are acting only for cinema,
09:50 or we are acting only for theatre,
09:53 we never set any criteria.
09:55 We always made an effort to do acting,
10:00 and slowly,
10:02 everyone dreams of working in cinema,
10:06 in a prominent actor group,
10:08 in a mainstream cinema,
10:11 so to reach us to this point,
10:14 our Guruji, Shri Pandit Dev Prabhakar Shastri Ji,
10:17 God,
10:18 and the whole population of our country,
10:20 from children to old people,
10:22 who have prayed for us with a smile,
10:24 I thank them as well.
10:27 - Although you are very down to earth,
10:29 you have worked very hard,
10:31 and you have been blessed by your Guruji,
10:33 you have achieved that level,
10:37 and today you have reached a level,
10:39 how do you feel?
10:40 - Anurag,
10:41 I am not saying this in a mediocre way,
10:44 but believe me,
10:47 I am ready to confess this in front of everyone,
10:50 that I am neither an actor,
10:52 nor a star,
10:53 I am an art student,
10:55 and I always pray,
10:57 that I get the love of art,
11:00 and when I get the love of art,
11:01 I get to play the role of an actor,
11:03 so in a student group,
11:05 I will try to play as many good characters,
11:08 as I can,
11:10 because the art form of Anurag is so vast,
11:13 that it is a vast ocean,
11:16 and there is very little time to understand it,
11:18 if you know how to dance,
11:20 you can't sing,
11:21 if you know how to sing,
11:22 you can't focus,
11:23 and if you know how to act,
11:25 then you can act,
11:27 sometimes you can say one line,
11:29 sometimes you can say another,
11:31 so you can't do this,
11:32 so the more you do,
11:34 and the more you understand it,
11:36 the more you see the vast ocean,
11:38 so it is called an artist,
11:39 so the day a person is called an artist,
11:42 you can say that his downfall starts from that moment,
11:45 if acting is an ocean,
11:47 then you have also jumped,
11:49 and you have fought to a great extent,
11:50 crossing the waves of the ocean,
11:52 I haven't touched the shore yet,
11:53 I haven't touched the shore yet,
11:54 you don't have to touch the shore,
11:55 if you touch the shore,
11:57 then how will we move towards the shore,
11:59 right, right,
12:00 this is a good thing,
12:01 but one thing is that,
12:03 the ocean in which I have got the chance to dive,
12:07 so I have kept on diving in it,
12:11 and got some new,
12:12 new waves and waves,
12:14 and it is good that I have enjoyed in life,
12:17 tell us a good moment,
12:20 when you were shooting,
12:21 you really enjoyed,
12:23 you were happy from inside,
12:25 and you gave your 100% that day,
12:27 this is a film,
12:30 'Main Meri Patni Aur Wo',
12:33 in which there is a climax scene,
12:35 so when it was going on in Lucknow,
12:39 at 10 in the morning,
12:40 there was only one scene,
12:41 at 10 the shooting started,
12:42 and the shooting was done till 4,
12:44 and Ritu Pandya and I were in that scene,
12:48 so there must have been 30 rehearsals,
12:51 and after that,
12:52 Chandan took that shot from different angles,
12:55 for 6-7 hours continuously,
12:58 but the position we were in,
13:01 Ritu and I,
13:02 whether the camera was at the back,
13:05 or at the front,
13:06 we had no idea about the camera,
13:08 from where,
13:09 which trolley shot is being shot,
13:11 what is being shot,
13:12 but if that scene was shot 50 times,
13:16 then in the first rehearsal,
13:18 the tears were coming out,
13:20 just the timing,
13:21 tears were coming out,
13:22 and we really felt that we are living something,
13:26 and to give us the satisfaction of our life,
13:30 we feel that it is the best shot,
13:32 and the rest,
13:33 the whole film,
13:34 where there is only one scene,
13:36 that is also important for us,
13:38 and we never did a film,
13:39 assuming it to be one scene,
13:40 never did a film,
13:41 assuming it to be two scenes,
13:42 we always felt that,
13:43 this film is about us,
13:46 if we are doing one scene,
13:47 then we tried to work with that intensity,
13:50 in which we tried to play a lead role.
13:53 If we talk about Crazy 4,
13:55 then we can say that 4 people can be the lead.
13:59 Why was Mr. Menon not called in it?
14:01 Why was he given a dumb character?
14:03 Even though he is a great comedian himself.
14:05 Yes,
14:06 see,
14:07 there is a screenplay of the writer, producer and director,
14:11 we cannot say why he was not called,
14:15 or if he was called,
14:16 it would have been better.
14:19 We will say that,
14:20 even today,
14:21 the film that was played,
14:24 the film that was made with honesty,
14:27 the film that was made with discipline,
14:29 Rakesh ji, Raja ji,
14:31 all the cast,
14:33 all the actors,
14:34 enjoyed that film so much,
14:38 that the film,
14:40 the way we learned the making,
14:45 I will tell you,
14:46 I always had this in my mind,
14:49 how does it happen,
14:51 that when Rakesh ji or the cinema that is made,
14:54 it has a certain level.
14:56 After doing this film,
14:57 I learned a level,
14:58 that how,
14:59 what should be the planning,
15:00 what should be the discipline,
15:02 when and whose dates are for whom,
15:04 according to whom the shooting should be,
15:06 everything was properly worked on.
15:10 Whether the film is good or bad,
15:12 we do not know,
15:14 you can decide that better,
15:17 but we will say that,
15:19 the film was made with sincerity,
15:22 and if we did anything wrong,
15:25 if we made any mistake,
15:27 we did it with honesty.
15:31 Mistakes were made with honesty,
15:33 are you impressed with the making,
15:35 do you think that you will direct a film,
15:40 or you will be interested in producing?
15:42 No, not now,
15:43 but whatever I will do,
15:44 I will do it in this field.
15:46 When a Kathak dancer practices for 14 years,
15:50 and goes on stage for the first time,
15:52 the cinema making is so three dimensional,
15:56 from music to screenplay,
15:58 dialogue to shot division,
16:00 effects, sound, editing,
16:02 there are 19 departments.
16:04 But whenever I get such thoughts,
16:08 because I don't think that I can think anything
16:11 other than acting,
16:13 and if I have to do anything,
16:16 I will do it in this field,
16:18 but it will be of A grade,
16:20 that means,
16:21 any film,
16:24 because we never want to make a poor film,
16:29 because film is not made in richness,
16:31 if a film is made in richness,
16:33 then all films are made in richness,
16:35 and today,
16:36 film is mentally poor,
16:38 and mentally rich,
16:39 so if a film needs 2 crores,
16:42 then it should not cost 2.25 crores,
16:44 if it needs 22 crores,
16:46 then it should not cost 25 crores,
16:48 but if it is a film of 2 crores,
16:50 then it should not cost 1.5 crores,
16:52 all this is the poverty and richness of mentality,
16:55 so whenever our film comes,
16:58 it will be mentally rich,
17:01 it will have proper discipline,
17:03 and in which from spot voice to director,
17:05 everyone will get proper respect,
17:07 and we call everyone family,
17:10 but we will prove that family is everything,
17:13 a film is completed with 150 people,
17:16 and those 150 people are family members,
17:19 it is said that you are very inspired by Charlie Chaplin,
17:22 his acting,
17:24 even though his dialogues were less,
17:26 but he used to show everything through acting,
17:28 he used to show all shades,
17:30 is there anything like this in your acting?
17:33 No, see, Charlie Chaplin sir,
17:35 when someone says that he replaced him,
17:38 or someone says that he has fired him,
17:41 or he will be eaten,
17:43 this is very headless,
17:45 and very few educated people,
17:48 they talk like this,
17:51 Charlie Chaplin sir has a mountain,
17:54 no one can take inspiration from it,
17:57 if anyone tries to get that place,
18:01 then he will have to take 4 births,
18:04 what I think is,
18:06 if I have to choose an actor in the world,
18:09 who can act on comic level,
18:13 serious level,
18:15 emotional level,
18:17 or in the form of message,
18:19 Charlie Chaplin sir,
18:21 he used the audience like a remote,
18:26 you think you have to go ahead and smile,
18:30 you will smile that much,
18:33 and suddenly you will open your mouth and smile,
18:36 and suddenly you will, oh my God,
18:39 this is the art that Charlie Chaplin sir knew,
18:42 and if I have to choose one actor in the world,
18:45 that is why I chose Charlie Chaplin sir,
18:47 who is 100% 3 dimensional actor,
18:50 performance wise,
18:52 focus wise,
18:54 and talent physical,
18:56 if you see his physical movement,
18:59 I don't think there is anyone else,
19:01 and I always pray to God,
19:04 if someone is born like Charlie Chaplin,
19:07 then I will get a chance to see him,
19:10 because I am his fan,
19:12 I have never done mimicry of Charlie sir,
19:15 I will never repeat a scene of Charlie sir,
19:18 nor will I ever try to steal any emotion from Charlie sir,
19:22 because the person who has a fan,
19:24 does not disturb him,
19:26 so I take these things in that way,
19:28 whatever I will be in life,
19:30 and I tell my friends,
19:32 don't replace anyone,
19:34 fight for your name,
19:37 fight for your name,
19:39 Shahrukh Khan is gone,
19:42 if a new hero comes,
19:44 how can he replace Shahrukh Khan,
19:46 because Shahrukh Khan is enough to replace Shahrukh Khan,
19:50 no one else can mess with him,
19:52 so let Shahrukh Khan be there,
19:54 Salman Khan, Rajpal Yadav,
19:57 Paresh Rawal, Omji, Anupam Kher,
20:01 and you also come and join us,
20:03 and show us something,
20:06 so that you also get a place,
20:08 we pray for you for this.
20:10 Your identity is also different,
20:12 when you are on screen,
20:14 and when you do anything,
20:16 even if there is no dialogue,
20:18 people enjoy it,
20:20 because Rajpal is on screen.
20:22 I am very thankful to everyone,
20:24 that you take us so seriously,
20:26 and our effort is that,
20:28 if we are listening to someone,
20:31 we listen with honesty,
20:33 and if we are telling our story to someone,
20:35 we tell our story with honesty.
20:37 One more thing,
20:38 you have such a busy schedule,
20:40 you are doing so many films,
20:42 do you ever take time to go on vacation with your family,
20:45 even though it is summer,
20:47 do you ever take time?
20:49 You have put your hand on my heart,
20:51 I have been asked this question,
20:53 many times at home,
20:55 that will I ever get time for myself,
20:59 but I always try to balance,
21:03 that I go to a place for shooting,
21:05 and call my family along,
21:07 now we are shooting in summer,
21:09 so if my family comes here,
21:11 they will get worried,
21:13 or by giving a 3-4 month vacation,
21:17 we will go for a 10 day vacation,
21:20 and if they come,
21:21 we will easily get 4 months vacation,
21:23 and if we go for a 10 day vacation,
21:25 we will go with our family,
21:27 and we will be safe for the next 4 months,
21:29 that we have gone for a vacation.
21:31 So, like this,
21:32 they also have to face problems,
21:34 like you have to face,
21:36 during the shooting of a film,
21:38 sometimes it is sunny,
21:39 sometimes it rains,
21:40 sometimes it is cloudy,
21:41 like this,
21:42 in your life also,
21:43 sometimes it is sunny,
21:44 sometimes it rains,
21:45 sometimes it is cloudy,
21:46 you are always in this kind of shades.
21:48 But I am very happy,
21:51 that my family is always
21:53 fulfilling their responsibilities,
21:56 and if they are,
21:57 maybe it is their support,
21:59 that we are able to give so much time
22:01 to cinema and acting,
22:03 that we are not involved in
22:05 family related things,
22:07 we are properly supported,
22:09 from wife,
22:11 from mother,
22:12 from brothers,
22:13 because I am a very family-oriented actor,
22:17 I love my family,
22:21 I love the whole world,
22:23 because I love my family a lot.
22:26 What would you say for your fans?
22:27 For fans,
22:28 see, what happens is,
22:30 whatever I have got till now,
22:33 I have got from my fans,
22:34 if fans are not behind,
22:36 then I don't think,
22:37 that you danced in the jungle,
22:39 who saw you?
22:40 Because if you do any performance,
22:42 there is a media of performance,
22:43 then everyone sees your fans,
22:45 and they encourage you,
22:47 and give you blessings,
22:49 and you get energy from that,
22:51 that there are people behind us,
22:53 who are watching us,
22:54 so I should do something good,
22:56 because of which,
22:57 I have got a good result,
23:00 among the fans,
23:01 because fans,
23:02 and among us,
23:04 there is no feeling of friendship,
23:06 because the day you feel,
23:07 that our fans will love us,
23:09 then maybe it will be wrong,
23:11 I am most afraid of fans,
23:13 I always try,
23:15 that my work should be honest,
23:19 so that our fans should not be disappointed,
23:22 now small role, big role,
23:24 this is not our cup of tea,
23:25 this is a project,
23:28 it is important to join in a good film,
23:31 it is bad to join in a bad film,
23:33 whether you do a big role,
23:35 and in a small film,
23:36 in a big film,
23:37 in a good film,
23:38 whether you do a 10 minute role,
23:39 or 5 minute role,
23:40 or 1 hour role,
23:42 in a good film,
23:43 in a good film,
23:44 so I try,
23:45 that I should always give good exam to fans,
23:51 and at least,
23:53 the 80-90% marks that I have got,
23:56 I should get that,
23:58 that is my effort, brother.
24:00 You have not yet disappointed your fans,
24:03 and we hope,
24:04 that you never disappoint,
24:06 with this dedication,
24:07 with this hard work,
24:08 with this honesty,
24:09 you should work,
24:10 and success should be at your feet.
24:11 Thank you brother,
24:12 and whatever we have done,
24:14 you should forget about it,
24:15 whatever we have done,
24:16 whether it is wrong or right,
24:18 it is all because of me,
24:20 and whatever we have done,
24:22 or our films,
24:23 it is all because of you.
24:25 Thank you.
24:26 Thank you very much for talking to us.
24:28 Thank you brother,
24:29 God bless you.
24:31 (Music)
24:34 (dramatic music)