Paa was a wonderful way to end 2009: Paresh

The audience expects a lot when they see Paresh Rawal on screen. One of the most versatile actors of Indian cinema, Paresh can make you laugh as easily as he can make you hate him.
After the success of Paa where he played grandfather to Big B’s Auro, Paresh is all set for his screen outing s this year —Rann and Road to Sangam. “It was a wonderful way to end 2009,” says Paresh on Paa.“It proved that the audience is ready to accept a different story if the treatment is good.” Speaking of treatment, the actor is positive that Rann will also be treated well at the BO. “The movie is about how the media can play havoc in our lives,” he says. Considering the nature of the subject and the controversial RGV, isn’t he apprehensive that the film might now go down well with certain sections of the media? “That’s not my headache. It’s the producers and director’s lookout. As an actor it’s my job is to do entertaining and meaningful films. If I like the script I accept, if not I let it pass,” says the actor.
Though critics panned his comedy De Dana Dan, the film went on to rake in the moolah. “The audience came into the theatres to watch the Hera Pheri team of Akshay Suniel, Priyadarshan and me back in action,” confesses Paresh. However, fans were a disappointed lot when certain sections of the media reported that Paresh has opted out of the next installment of the Hera Pheri franchisee. On probing him, the only thing the actor divulges is, “I’m not doing the next installment of Hera Pheri.”
The actor is also excited about his forthcoming film Road to Sangam. “We put in a lot of hard work in every film. It’s heartbreaking if a film doesn’t work,” says Paresh. But in the absence of a big name and big budget, does he feel it could affect the prospects of the film at the BO? “I really don’t understand the trend of having big budgets and big stars just to make a film work. The year 2009 is the best example of how this particular formula fell flat on the face. People make a stupid film, spend stupid money on it, go around doing stupid things for promotion and when the film doesn’t work, they blame the audience! It’s ridiculous,” quips Paresh, adding, “The audience today is mature and certain aspects of cinema too have changed. The work-culture, the story ideas — everything has undergone a change. And if some people still rely on the old formula then they are bound to pay the price.”
Paresh is producing a new show, Laagi Tujhse Lagan for a general entertainment channel. Quiz him if he is positive the audience will accept the hat ke show and the actor is quick to reply. “It’s wrong to assume that the audience won’t accept different shows. Give them a good story which is different from the tried and tested formula and they will readily accept it.” Did he venture into TV production because it’s one of the most lucrative industries right now? “I don’t know about that, but yes, putting a TV show together is a lot of hard work.”