Paresh Rawal says goodbye to comedies

He has tickled the funny bone in all of us with his perfect comic timing in movies like "Hera Pheri", "Golmaal", and "Aankhen". But for now, the actor has said goodbye to comedies.

Paresh says: "One often ends up doing films for friends or because one needs to work within the given limitations. But enough is enough now."

Two of his releases this week do not show his lighter side.

The mightily talented Paresh, who was getting a tad tired of constantly doing comedy, returned to villainy for Ram Gopal Varma's "Rann", 20 years after he switched to doing comic roles.

And he is relieved. "When 'Rann' was offered to me, I wondered what it would be like to return to a negative role after so long. But it's a fantastic role of a wily politician who manipulates the media to his own advantage. I just couldn't resist it. I've worked with Ramu in Telugu cinema and in 'Satya'. But it's good to return to another genre and to Ramu after so long," he says.

Paresh had another release, a very contrasting one - "Road to Sangam," on the same day as "Rann". He plays a real-life character in the movie.

Says Paresh: "In 'Road To Sangam,' I am Hasmatullah, the real-life motor mechanic in Allahabad who was entrusted with the responsibility of repairing the car which was once used to carry the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi in the Ganga. This incident really happened. And Hasmatullah really exists, though the latter part of the story where Muslim organisations protest against one of their ilk helping a Hindu cause, is made up."

Paresh says he has no fear of audiences seeing him in these two contrasting roles on the same Friday. "In one I am a dark and evil politician. In the other I'm completely driven by the sense of nobility. It's a wonderful contrast. And most importantly these are not comic parts. I'm enjoying the challenge of moving into different moral zones. I'm sure the audience will enjoy it too."

Indo Asian News Service