I haven't done many comedies in my career: Jackie Shroff
(Sourced from PTI)
Veteran actor Jackie Shroff says he has been taking up more comedic roles as he believes he hasn't fully explored the lighter side of his personality on screen. That is why when Bollywood superstar Salman Khan approached him to play Abhyankar, the senior to his protagonist and brother of Disha Patani's Diya, in Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, the 64-year-old actor was all in.
"Like it always happens, Salman just called me and said there is a film being made by his family. He said it is a comedy and I have to play the role of a police officer. So I said OK," Jackie told in an interview. "What I'm doing in this movie is all humor and one shouldn't take it seriously," he added.
It is after a long time, the actor said, that he has started receiving more offers for comedy films. "I believe that I haven't done many comedies in my career. It is not easy to do a comedy movie... It is after such a long time that I'm being offered comedy roles," he said. Jackie recently did Hello Charlie and next has Phone Bhoot.
A Bollywood veteran with over 30 years of experience, Jackie believes that filmmakers are "keen" about creating light-hearted content these days, especially due to the deadly second wave of coronavirus cases in the country. "Maybe, filmmakers are keener to make comedy movies as we are witnessing a bad time. They don't want to make anything dark and grim," he said.
Radhe features Salman in the titular role of an encounter specialist tackling the drug menace in Mumbai. Jackie said the film, which started streaming on multiple platforms, including OTT and DTH services, from Thursday, is an appropriate watch for the audiences right now as it is the perfect marriage of action, comedy, and drama.
"It's been a year since we have been facing this pandemic and I believe that given the time that we are witnessing, people need some humor, drama, and entertainment," Jackie said. "A Salman Khan movie is like a festival. It serves the purpose of entertaining the audiences and distracting them from reality for at least two hours," he added.
Directed by Prabhudheva and also featuring Randeep Hooda, Radhe was earlier scheduled to arrive in theatres on May 22 last year but was delayed due to the pandemic. The movie has also been released in over 40 countries as well as on the Zee Plex.
