"I was always offered the role of the hero’s friend.” Actor Deven Bhojani shared his struggle with being typecast as a comedian.
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00:00I don't want to do TV. I used to look at the TV with my nose up like this.
00:03Do it. Do it. Try as much as you can.
00:06I was made a typecast as a comedian.
00:09I love you, Mano's dad.
00:11Actually, after Jojita, my family was insisting that I get married.
00:33But I said, let me settle first.
00:37I want to buy a house, a car.
00:41And then I'll get a wife. So, I should have a house.
00:43So, for 2-3 years, I worked very hard.
00:47In any film, there was a role of a hero's friend.
00:51I used to do it.
00:53I used to do it per day remuneration.
00:56I just had to save money.
00:59So, I was doing it like this.
01:01And I was happy that gradually, I started getting good roles in films.
01:10I did a film with Shah Rukh Khan many years ago.
01:19I did a few films with Jojita.
01:21That was a role of Shah Rukh Khan's friend.
01:25I had heard about Shah Rukh Khan.
01:27That there is a new actor named Shah Rukh Khan.
01:29And he considers himself to be very peacemaker.
01:31He has a lot of attitude.
01:33And in interviews, he has said a lot about Dilip Kumar or Amitabh Bachchan.
01:37Then I went for the shoot on the first day.
01:39Then I was thinking whether I should go to Shah Rukh or not.
01:41But then I thought that I will say,
01:43Hi, I am Devin Bhojani.
01:45And he will say, what should I do?
01:47He will insult me.
01:49I will lose my mind.
01:51And my performance will be ruined.
01:53Let it be. I don't do self-interviews.
01:55Then I was looking at my lines.
01:57At that time, a tap came from behind.
01:59Hi Devin, I am Shah Rukh.
02:01You were so good in Jojita V Sikander.
02:03Then suddenly there was an offer of Dekh Bhai Dekh.
02:05So, Dekh Bhai Dekh TV.
02:07So, I don't want to do TV.
02:09I used to look down on TV.
02:11I am very sorry about this.
02:13Why was I thinking like this?
02:15So, I thought that the director is also good.
02:17Jaya Bachchan's banner is there.
02:19And the character is of a servant.
02:21Kareema's.
02:23But it is a very important character.
02:25So, I think I will do this one.
02:27Later, I will continue doing films.
02:29Sir, don't you think that you have been
02:31typecast somewhere?
02:33Mostly, you have been in all the comic roles.
02:35I have seen some serious roles where
02:37you have done serious work.
02:39But have you been typecast somewhere?
02:41Yes, that is there.
02:43I have been typecast as a comedian.
02:45By the audience.
02:47By the producers, directors, writers.
02:49By everyone.
02:51So, there is a kind of...
02:53I am a versatile actor.
02:55I know how to play different kinds of roles.
02:57And I am able to do it.
02:59But as a comedian,
03:01I think it might have happened because
03:03there are very few comedians.
03:05Very few.
03:07There are very few actors who can do comedy.
03:09So, I consider myself very fortunate.
03:19So, that's why Gattu
03:21touched people's hearts so much.
03:23He used to make people laugh.
03:25But when Gattu didn't get food,
03:27people used to cry.
03:29If Gattu used to get lost,
03:31if he couldn't meet his family,
03:33people wanted him to meet them.
03:35Innocence that Gattu had,
03:37that was unparalleled.
03:39Absolutely.
03:41When I was offered the role of Gattu,
03:43I was also a creative director.
03:45We were talking about the casting
03:47of Gattu's character.
03:49So, Aatish and JD, the producers,
03:51and Aatish,
03:53he created the show.
03:55So, they said,
03:57why don't you play Gattu's character?
04:00I said, Gattu? Wow!
04:02What a character!
04:04He said,
04:06you will be able to do justice.
04:08He said,
04:10let me think.
04:12After a couple of days, I said yes.
04:14How was Sarabhai's experience?
04:16It was a great show.
04:18I had a great team of actors.
04:20Our writers were amazing.
04:22They created all these characters.
04:24Aatish Kapadia.
04:26They were amazing.
04:28The way they wrote the show,
04:30it was so good that
04:32my work became very easy.
04:34Plus, the producers,
04:36the heads of production,
04:38JD and Aatish Kapadia,
04:40they gave me everything
04:42as a director.
04:44But there was a problem.
04:46I used to direct and edit at the same time.
04:48It used to take a lot of time.
04:50Right.
04:52As a Dushyant,
04:54I used to perform.
04:56There was a director inside.
04:58He used to perform in front of me.
05:00He used to say,
05:02you didn't give a good reaction.
05:04As a director,
05:06I used to scold myself.
05:08I used to say,
05:10you are Dushyant.
05:12Be Dushyant and check the shot.
05:14You can correct it later.