He stirred national interest with his comic capers in the Munnabhai series. Arshad ‘Circuit’ Warsi has been in this industry for more than a decade and has finally carved his own identity in the overcrowded Bollywood market.

Riding high on the string of films under his belt plus the three film deal with production house Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision, the versatile yet down-to-earth actor bares all in a chat with Businessofcinema.com.

Excerpts:

Tell us about your upcoming release Dhamaal. How was your shooting experience?
Well, it’s all about fun and madness or should I say a laugh riot? Inderji (the director) made sure that we had a great time shooting for the film. My personal belief is that a good crew is a must for good work and I have always been lucky on that front.

Can you elaborate on your character in the film?
I play one of the losers, who are good-for-nothing in their life. Unlike Golmaal, which was more of a story driven comedy, Dhamaal is all about gags. I call it a child-friendly comedy for that reason. You have to watch the film to know my character in detail.

Don’t you get bored essaying the same kind of roles over and over again?
Yes, of course I am getting bored playing the same kind of roles but the fact is that I’m not being offered anything diverse that I want to do. So, I continue doing comic roles. But if you notice closely there is a variation in my comic acts. My Munnabhai act is unlike the one in Golmaal, whereas Dhamaal is altogether a different.

You hardly have any solo projects in your kitty; multistarrers seem to be your preference. Reason?
I believe I still have to reach a point where I can carry a film on my own steam. I tried Saher on my own, in spite the script being great, the film didn’t do too well. I still need a Sanjay Dutt or a John Abraham for my film’s success and I am struggling hard to get out of that pattern.

Has anyone approached you with solo projects?
I am flooded with offers everyday, but the point is not to go on a signing spree because you have the solo act. For a film’s success, you need a big actor or a big producer/director and of course the script has to be strong. I’m waiting for the right script to come my way and of course the banner has to be big. Maybe it’s a little more wait before that happens.

What are other films are you busy with?
I have recently wrapped my two films Sunday and Goal. While the former is again a comedy, Goal is a serious tale. Here I play the football captain of a team that has never won. I am sure that act would portray me in a new light. Moreover, in November this year I will start shooting for Golmaal 2 and by the end of 2008 for Munnabhai Chale Amreeka.

You have lately signed a three film deal with Ashtavinayak. When do you start shooting for those films?
The three film deal is worth Rs 6 crores and I will have the liberty to choose the shooting schedule. At the moment I am going through a lot of scripts and we haven’t finalised any so far. As soon as a good script comes my way we will go ahead with the shoot. Since I haven’t got many opportunities to do serious roles, I would love to do so this time around.

Lastly, how do you feel since Sanjay Dutt is out on bail now?
Oh, it’s such a great relief. I don’t know why they are harassing the poor chap when he has already suffered so much.