New Delhi: It`s not a moniker favoured by many, but actor Riteish Deshmukh candidly reveals that he was asked to play himself, a loser, in his upcoming film `Aladin`.
The actor who plays a modern day Aladin in the fantasy flick with none other than superstar Amitabh Bachchan playing genie, said that director Sudip Ghosh gave him an interesting one line brief before beginning the film.
"Sudip came upto me and told me, "You have to play a total loser, so just play yourself". So that sums up my character in the film and my director obviuosly holds me in high esteem," Deshmukh told reporters.
The 30-year-old actor, who is playing a character known to generations through cartoons and fables, says that he has tried to offer a fresh interpretation of Aladin.
"It was a challenging part because it is a character we have all grown up with, but my Aladin is different from anything seen before. First of all it is not a period drama and my Aladin hates lamps and he does not beleive in genies," says Ritesh of his character in the film where he is paired opposite newcomer, Srilankan beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandes who plays a modern day Princess Jasmine.
The film, a fantasy thriller gives Deshmukh the oppurtunity to work with two of his "favourite" actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt and he is not complaining.
While Bachchan plays the good genie, Dutt is his arch nemesis, the sinister Ring Master.
"We have the two actors representing the fight between good and evil in the film. These are two powerful, over the top characters and only Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt could have pulled something off like that," said Ritesh of his co-stars in the film.
And it looks like Bachchan is Deshmukh's favourite co-star as the duo will again be seen in the much awaited Ram Gopal Varma flick 'Rann', which will see the actor play a struggling journalist, a far cry from his usual laugh riots.
"Well the only reason for me doing comedy films is because they are enjoyed by the audience every time.
And when a film becomes a hit you do tend to get similar stuff. It’s not true that I haven't done any other genres of films but I didn't get a good response in those movies. But both 'Aladin' and Rann are not comedies," said Deshmukh.
The actor whose latest film 'Do Knot Disturb' reunites the never failing comic pair of David Dhawan and Govinda, said that it was a learning experience working with 'comedy king' Govinda who kept him on his toes.
"There was healthy competition on the sets because when you are doing a scene with Govinda, you don't want to let him or yourself down. So I was on my toes and I learnt a lot from him," said Deshmukh.
Bureau Report
