Riteish Deshmukh: I didn’t know that I would love being an actor so much. Else, I would have come better prepared

It’s been 16 years since Riteish Deshmukh entered Bollywood, but despite his experience spanning more than a decade-and-a-half, the actor says that the new generation is keeping him on his toes. Ahead of the release of his next, director Milap Milan Zaveri’s 'Marjaavaan', he talks to BT about what’s stopping him from producing a Hindi film, why he has no plans to enter politics and how he is happy with the opportunities he is getting.Excerpts...
You play a dwarf in 'Marjaavaan'. In Indian cinema, many actors have previously portrayed vertically challenged characters — Kamal Haasan in 'Appu Raja' (1989), Anupam Kher in 'Jaan-E-Mann' (2006) and Shah Rukh Khan in 'Zero' (2018). Who among them was your inspiration while playing this character?
I didn’t have any inspirations as such, but each of these actors have been revolutionary in their approach to their movies. Almost 30 years ago when Kamal Haasan did 'Appu Raja', it was seen as something innovative. I am also thankful to Shah Rukh Khan. In fact, we were shooting Marjaavaan at the same time when 'Zero' was being shot, and Shah Rukh was gracious enough to show us certain VFX shots from his film. He had the best equipment available and the production was also on a higher scale. Sometimes, budget can be a limitation and at such times, it is all about how smartly you pull it off. As a director, I think that Milap has shot intelligently.
What’s the toughest part of playing a vertically challenged person?
The most challenging part is shooting with the VFX. Of course, VFX has made it easy to a great extent. For example, actors no longer have to tie their legs behind and wear shoes on their knees to portray such characters. But still, it can be a daunting task. When two actors perform, one of them playing a dwarf, it’s important to maintain the right eye level. Though both actors would be standing while enacting the scene, they can’t look each other in the face. This means that they can’t see each other’s facial expressions. There were times when I used to check out how Sidharth (Malhotra) reacted to my lines on the monitor. And then, I would be like, ‘Achcha, tune aisa expression diya hai, toh mujhe mera expression change karna padega.’ Also, to achieve the desired result on screen, we used to give five different takes of the same shot.
Given that you play a vertically challenged character in 'Marjaavaan', were you apprehensive that it could turn out to be gimmicky?
No, I thought that the role was great. Imagine, someone comes to you and says, ‘I have a role for you. You are the villain, but you are vertically challenged’. I was like, ‘Wow!’ The character is not gimmicky, as he thinks too highly of himself. He might be all of 2 feet and 5 inches, but he thinks ki poora zaamana uske saamne dedh foot ka hai. He might be looking at people with his head up, but in his head, he is actually looking down on them.
For a long time, you were associated with comedies and romantic films. And then, you played the villain in 'Ek Villain' (2014). Now, 'Marjaavaan', too, features you as the antagonist. Is this a deliberate attempt to change your image?
I am happy that new opportunities are coming my way. I am thankful, especially to Ekta Kapoor and Mohit Suri, as Ek Villain was a big turning point in my career. Today, I have got a similar opportunity and I am happy and thrilled about it.
'Marjaavaan' reunites you with your 'Ek Villain' co-star, Sidharth Malhotra. Once again, you are pitted against each other on screen...
Sidharth and I met after five years for this film. I see a lot of maturity and poise in him. There’s also Tara Sutaria, who’s marking her second outing with this movie. I haven’t seen her debut film, but when I saw her on the set of our film, I was impressed with her confidence. That makes you wonder what you were thinking when you were just two films old. Today’s generation is well-prepared, and they keep you on your toes. It is inspiring to work with them. To perform without dialogues (Tara plays a mute character) and communicate with sign language is credible.
Taking off from your last answer, what was Riteish Deshmukh like when he was just two films old?
I didn’t want to be an actor when I started off. I was called to meet a few people, who were looking for a new face. After the first meeting, they asked me to fly down to Hyderabad, and when I went there, they offered me a film. I didn’t have any understanding of what a camera is, or what lighting is. I had to learn everything on the job. During the initial years, the critics had panned me. But, I see all those people as my teachers. I didn’t know that I would love being an actor so much. Else, I would have come better prepared. That way, I could have been better at my work when I started off. But God was kind, and the audience was kinder that they accepted me with all my flaws.
From acting to turning producer, you have come a long way. You have already produced two Marathi movies, when will we see you backing a Hindi film?
Hindi cinema is exploring a lot of interesting subjects these days. The content is so good that you get confused about which one to produce. I want to pick up the right script and plunge into Hindi film production soon.
Last year, your wife Genelia (actress Genelia Deshmukh) did a cameo in your Marathi production, 'Mauli'. When will we see her making a comeback to Bollywood?
I hope she does it soon, as she is such a fine actor. She keeps reading scripts. She was interested in a couple of films, but they didn’t work out because of time constraints. She is getting offers from Telugu and Kannada films, and over the years, Genelia has picked up Marathi really well from my mother. So, she can definitely act in a Marathi film, too.
Do your sons Riaan and Rahyl watch your movies?
Not at all. I don’t think they know what an actor is. They only see dance videos online, and think that everyone’s parents dance in them. I remember Riaan visited the set of Housefull 4 one day. This was his first visit to a film set, and we were shooting for the song, Bala. He found it too noisy and just walked out. He told Genelia, ‘You told me that baba is working, but I didn’t see him working. He was only dancing.’ So, he doesn’t think that I work (laughs!).
You come from a family with political background and even campaigned for your brothers (Dhiraj amd Amit Deshmukh). Have you ever thought about entering politics yourself?
Politics is not like a restaurant, ki acting ke saath woh bhi chala liya. It is a full-time commitment. You need to actively participate in it, right from the grassroot level. Having said that, I never knew that I would be an actor. One day, an opportunity presented itself and I took the plunge. I am enjoying what I am doing right now. My brothers are doing well in politics, and I am totally aware of what’s happening in my country and the state.