Be it smart inspector Gulgule in FIR, or Palak and Pankhuri in Comedy Nights with Kapil, Kiku Sharda’s career graph is going north. He will now be seen as Akbar in Big Magic’s Akbar Birbal and as a dance teacher in Farah Khan’s movie Happy New Year. SANGEETA YADAV talks to the rising star. Excerpts:
Tell us about Akbar BirbalIJ
It’s Akbar Birbal folktales with a modern but comic twist. It’s edutainment for today’s generation which will be able to connect with India’s history through an Akbar Birbal laughter riot. You can call the show a laughter therapy. Birbal is very clever and his jodi with Akbar is like Sherlock Holmes and Watson who solve all problems and mysteries with wry humour.
What preparations went into this showIJ
I read up on Akbar and Birbal on the Internet. I also watched the film Jodha Akbar but that didn’t help me much. Akbar was a plump man, somewhat like me and not at all like Hrithik Roshan. To make him come across as more humourous, we have improvised a lot and not followed the script. Speaking in Urdu was a tough task.
What kind of comedy will we see in Akbar BirbalIJ
We have not focused just on Akbar- Birbal but also on Akbar’s relationship with his bodyguard who was with him all the time. Akbar baat karte karte shaiyari bana dete thhey aur bahut garv mehsoos kerte thhey. But his bodyguard used to dislike it and disagree with him. They shared a love-hate relationship. Also Jodha’s relationship with him has been portrayed quite funnily.
What’s the most irritating part of you costumeIJ
The shawl Akbar takes on his shoulder is very irritating. What’s the purpose of wearing a shawl on one sideIJ It gives me the feeling of having a fractured hand. Be it 45 degrees or 5 degrees, Akbar was with the shawl. Besides that, to get into the heavy costume, jewellery and put on make-up takes me 45 minutes everyday.
Why no saas bahu drama for youIJ
Too many fights and rona dhona in the soap dish. A good comedy not only helps viewers unwind but also the family can sit together and share the laughter moments. I love making people laugh which is not possible in soap.
How is your chemistry with Delnaz and Vishal KotianIJ
I have worked with Vishal before but not with Delnaz Irani. I once did a play with her and know her well.
Your thoughts on senior actors being mentors for their junior counterparts
I can only talk about myself. As a senior actor, I try and make my juniors feel comfortable during shoots. At the end of the day, it’s not about who gets the maximum footage but strong team work.
Why didn’t you vote this electionIJ
I had to catch a flight to lucknow that day. When I went to the polling booth in the morning my name was not there in the list. If I had tried to sort that out, I would have missed my flight and promotionals for Akbar-Birbal.
How are you going to manage Comedy Nights With Kapil along with Akbar-BirbalIJ
I’m not quitting Kapil’s show. We are shooting twice a week for CNWK. The rest of the days are for Akbar-Birbal. There is an adage I follow: ‘A busy man has time for everything’. Time toh nikalna he padta hai.
Does fitness and weight matterIJ
I don’t think being fit gets you work. If you are a good actor, you should stay focused to acting.
After acting, comedy and dance shows, what next is on your plateIJ
I don’t want to be typecast as a comedy actor. Being a comic actor is not my goal. I want to be known as a complete actor, like Paresh Rawal who is an allrounder. I would love to do a negative role.
Any upcoming projectsIJ
My next film is Farah Khan’s Happy New Year where I play a dance teacher who teaches Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Boman Irani to move their bodies.