There’s no hangover of my earlier films: Rajpal

You are one of the three leads in C Kkompany. What���s your role like?
The film is based on characters with middle-class backgrounds. There is complexity in each one of them. My character is called Lambodar Jha. It���s about the common man���s jaddojehed for his survival, his dreams and goals. The three characters are playing serious roles. It���s how the situation turns into a comic one that evokes laughter.
Do you identify with Lambodar Jha?
I don���t identify with any of the characters that I have essayed so far.I have been in this profession for a long time now aur hum in cheezon se bahut upar uthe hai. Fact is, everyone is battling with a complexity here ��� be it height, weight or otherwise. But one has to realise that the brain is of utmost importance. After all, jitne kaam heightwalon ne kiya hai us se zyada karishma kum height walon ne kiya hai. What counts is how you turn your negativity into your positivity.
What also counts is your comment in an earlier interview, where you said that you are serious in real life. Isn���t it difficult to switch into the laughing mode?
My self image never gets mixed up with my screen image. I don���t like making a public display of my personal image on screen and vice versa. I believe that life mein khel karo but life se khel mat karo. I might have done nearly 100 films but you will seldom find me repeating a dialogue in keeping with the audience request. There���s no hangover of my earlier films in me. After all, the audience has to be inquisitive as to what character I play onscreen. That is why it is important for them to see the real Rajpal Yadav when I ain���t performing.
And would Rajpal Yadav define himself as a comedian, actor or actor-comedian?
Jinke peechhey kar laga hota hai, woh field bahut bara hota hai, jaise ki, kalakar, patrakar. I am a kalakar and no star. I would call myself a student of acting. Aur jo bhi is kalakar ke jholi main aata hai usiko main nibhane ki koshish karta hoon. If anyone says that he does comedy, he must be lying. It is caricature or buffonery that appears on screen.
Are you a taker for the onscreen length of a role while nodding for a project?
If a cook has to prepare the food for one or 100 persons, he has to see to it that the food is tasty in either cases. Similarly, for me, the length does not matter. What matters are the director, producer, the character, and its contribution to the film, the remaining cast and the type of the film. I want to make it clear that quality and not quantity matters to me. Do you know that I was offered 75 films all in lead roles? But I said yes to only one among them. But there are certain directors like Ram Gopal Verma, Priyadarshan and David Dhawan for whom I will do any role.
Why so?
That���s because I have worked with them earlier and there is a level of comfort. And of course, these directors know what is best for me.
Coming to your off-screen presence, you are hardly a part of award functions...
That���s because they don���t excite me. Finally, your work speaks. For me, it is more important to get an award from the audience in the form of their love.
What about judging reality shows?
Where���s the time for the same? You know, I got the first offer to host Bigg Boss which later went to Arshad Warsi. Then they offered me to be a participant in the show. But I had to decline because of time constraint. I believe that ek pair nao main rakhna chahiye. I attend reality shows only if I have to offer my best wishes to the contestant or if I have to promote my films.
So, what are these projects that leave you little time for anything else?
Let me say here that the little time that I get is safeguarded for my family and wife. As for the projects, there are C kkompany, Chal Chala Chal, Kushti with Khali, Don���t Worry Be Happy, Masti Express, and two ventures with David Dhawan, Priyadarshan and Ravi Chopra. There���s one with RGV too. In all, there are roughly 12-13 projects and I play lead in six to seven and five to six projects have me in a supporting role.