I can't force anybody to go and watch my movie: Riteish

He is known for his easy comic timing and happy-go-lucky image, so when Riteish Deshmukh became 'Ek Villain' it was a pleasant surprise for the audience which resulted in the huge box office collections. Now the actor is all set to make his debut in Marathi cinema with 'Lai Bhaari'. Excerpts from the interview.
What took you so long to act in a Marathi movie?
Time was never an issue.In my early years, I was working hard to establish myself as a competent actor. I was trying to get a strong foothold in the industry, to get my craft better with each film, continuously working on myself as an actor. Results started showing since last 4-5 years. I was looking at many scripts but somehow nothing worked out till Ameya Khopkar and Jitendra Thackeray came to me with 'Lai Bhaari'
The story is by Sajid Nadiadwala, how you got hold of it?
My producer friends, Ameya and Jitu wanted to make a larger-than-life movie in Marathi and we were looking for stories. We decided to check with my friend Sajid Nadiadwala who is doing so well in B'wood. When Ameya and Jitu met Sajid, he told them 2-3 storylines out of which 'Lai Bhaari' caught their attention. Sajid was more than happy to allow us to use his story and make a movie on it. So though Sajid is my good friend and I have done three films with him, his 'Lai Bhaari' story came to me through Ameya and Jitu and not vice versa.
As an actor what attracted you to 'Lai Bhari'?
Two things which attracted me to this movie ' a) It was going to be my first Marathi movie and b) It was a genre that I never did.
Tell us about your role in the movie.
I play a guy named 'Mauli'. It's also the name with which Varkaris fondly address Lord Vithoba. The name represents the close bond the protagonist share with the deity. I always wanted to play such character who is confident and not afraid of anything. I never played such role till date. I don't think I will be ever like 'Mauli'. He is a carefree guy. He is a soloist where as I love to be with people, enjoy with them.
What preparation you had to go through for this role?
To get his body language correctly was the biggest preparation for this role!
Tell us about your co-star Radhika Apte?
Radhika is a fantastic actress. She is one of those actresses who don't need dialogues to express what they are feeling. She is very expressive and without dialogues she can give such wonderful expressions that can leave you speechless! You need such co-stars who can keep you on your toes and can make every scene better and better.
How was the experience of working with director Nishikant Kamath?
Nishikant is such a director who is very competent and knows exactly what he wants. He knew exactly who he wanted for which role and I can say, we all are the original cast of this movie. He is a fun director and I would love to work with him again and again! The script, the director, the cast everything has blended beautifully in this movie.
Which was the most challenging scene to shoot in the movie?
The car chasing scene which we shot in Satara was a difficult due to extreme hot weather.
'Ek Villain' and now 'Lai Bhaari', are you trying get into action genre?
I am glad to get a chance to work in this genre. In future if I get a chance to do 3 films of comedy, action and thriller each, as an actor I will grab them with my both hands. An actor is never interested in one particular genre but any where he can showcase his talent.
Which role has given you more satisfaction, a producer or an actor?
Both has given me immense satisfaction. In my office I would prefer to have posters of the movies which I have produced rather than of movies where I was just an actor. I hope that in future, I will have a wall full of posters of some of the great movies produced by me.
Do you think your B'wood image will attract non-maharashtrian audience to watch 'Lai Bhaari'?
I am not sure if it has anything to do with my B'wood tag, but if there are people who liked my work as an actor in Hindi cinema, they wouldn't mind to see my Marathi movie, too! There were many non-marathi people who watched 'Balak-Palak' and 'Yellow' even with the sub-titles.
Which is your most cherished compliment till now?
Reactions I got from everywhere after 'Ek Villain' was overwhelming. Pritish Nandy wrote an article in a daily in which he spoked about 'Gabbar' and 'Villain'. Just to have my picture next to 'Gabbar' was a huge high for me as an actor.
Soon, you will be entering a new phase- 'fatherhood'. How nervous or excited are you?
Both of us are very excited and really looking forward to it.
Last, why audience should watch 'Lai Bhaari'?
I can't force anybody to go and watch my movie. It's a story of a mother and a son. It's a action movie and we have tried to make as per the best of our ability. If the promos excites you, the thought excites, come and watch the film.