Sunil Grover,Comedian-turned-actor, your very own Dr Mashoor Gulati & Rinku Bhabhi, will tickle your funny bone as Dipper Naradmuni in the film Pataakha. He speaks with Sangeeta Yadav about working with Vishal Bhardwaj, his struggles and dealing with controversies

How was your experience working in Pataakha?

It was amazing. I play Dipper Naradmuni who pulls everyone’s leg and takes up different jobs. One day, he sells sarees, another day he is a vegetable vendor. The film is an adaptation of Charan Singh Pathik’s short story Do Behnein. There is no Bollywood film which has shown a relationship between two sisters who are at loggerheads and always in cat fights. It was fun shooting this film. I felt nostalgic when I was doing this movie as it reminded me of my good old growing up days in Mundi Dubwali amid villagers, buffaloes and cows.

Do you think each role you take has to match up to Dr Mashoor Gulati or Rinku Bhabhi?

Not really! I love  observing people and studying human behaviour. How humans react to different things differently or similarly. I can look at living and non-living things and pass my time. There is so much beauty around you — in things and of things. I want to become so many people and characters and live different lives in one life. I feel blessed and grateful to be in a medium where I get to do what I love and keep exploring.

How was director Vishal Bhardwaj as a director?

He is a great learning experience. He is clear about what he wants from his actors and how his story should unfold. His characters are well-defined. When we started shooting, he allowed us to experiment with our roles and was open to suggestions. I was playing the character a little over the top so Vishal sir asked me to tone it down. I changed it and on the fourth day, I understood what he was looking for. I completely surrendered to him.

The portrayal of women in this film is very different…

Yes, many women who have had fights with their sister or friend will be able to relate to Badki and Chhutki played by Sania Malhotra and Radhika Madan, respectively. The time has come when we need to tell stories of women. I find it more creative to disguise as a woman than to play a man. Being a woman is not easy and I have immense respect for them. That is why I love to play the role. Women in my life have contributed a lot whether it was my mother, sister or my friends and teachers who helped me grow in my career. Thank God, I was in the co-ed college for some time. I had women around, I would dress up nicely and take a bath regularly, otherwise I was like a typical hostel boy.

What has been your biggest struggle?

The struggle is to find time to get into the character’s skin, read scripts, meet people and social obligations. Sometimes I feel the pressure of work and have limited time to decide what projects to take and to live up to audience’s expectations.

It is always an exam. We need to work hard to excel in whatever we do. The struggle is to get better, to understand what kind of approach you should have towards the character and to learn new things, keep reinventing and try to do something which has not been done before.

What is not funny according to you?

Life should not be taken seriously. Humour lies in everything. All you need to know is how to extract it. There are a few things which are not funny. To challenge anyone’s belief who has lived with it throughout life, demeaning someone for having been born in lower class, caste or the work they do, disrespecting people, making fun of someone’s weakness or belittling someone for being slow because they have a disability is not funny. I do not laugh at people’ situation and for what they are. I like to laugh with them. I find this very beautiful.

Do controversies bother you?

For the time being, yes it does. But you have to get back to work. I am here to work — to entertain people and keep myself happy in the process. To describe myself in one word is ‘celebrate’. I live and let live. Enjoy, forgive, forget, respect and work hard.

Any plans for TV?

Right now, I am busy shooting for Ali Abbas Zafar’s movie Bharat starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Disha Patani, Jackie Shroff and Nora Fatehi. It is an official adaptation of the 2014 South Korean film Ode to My Father. I am looking forward to doing more substantial role in films.