‘The madness keeps us going’

It���s early morning. And taking the air on the promenade among the morning joggers and walkers at Bandra Bandstand, in Mumbai, are Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah.
The two are back in a film ��� A Wednesday ��� after 12 years. We dragged them out to talk, argue, share a few laughs while Bollywood awaits the return to screen of these two veterans. ���I skipped my yoga class to meet you,��� grumbled Naseer.���So what?��� asked Anupam, ���I was down with fever but the thought of being photographed with you got me excited.��� And, putting his arm across his old National School of Drama co-star, Anupam led Naseer down the cobbled pathway as the two went from present into flashback by the sea...
You���ll last acted together in the 1996 film Chahat starring Shah Rukh Khan and Pooja Bhatt. What happened after that?
Naseer: We have a problem with each other!
Anupam: I feel insecure if he is in the same film. In our new film, maine socha Naseer ne mujhse achchi acting ki hai. So I called the producer and reshot my scenes.
Naseer: But what you don���t know is that maine bhi bina batayein film mein ek gaana dalwa diya. I���m playing a terrorist in this film but there���s a twist in the tale which justifies his actions. This film is an appeal to everyone���s conscience. It asks you how long you are going to sit down and watch.
Anupam: I believe in the theme, too.
But so many films being made on terrorism...
Naseer: But isn���t it better than watching a rich-boy-meets-poor-girl film? It���s wonderful that filmmakers are tackling such issues nowadays which show the real world rather than showing the Switzerland.
Anupam: I feel such films are made because there���s a change in the audience���s perception or else how would you explain the bombing of big films and the success of small films like Khuda Ke Liye.
Naseer: Yes, and that too it���s a Pakistani film with unrecognisable faces, yet people watched it instead of Tashan which has all the actors we like. Now it���s the film and not the stars that people watch.
Anupam: True, it���s not the stars that make the film, but the content. The last time I had seen such huge hoardings of myself was when Saaransh was released. Mein apne car se uttar ke dance karne laga!
Do you watch each others��� films?
Anupam: Shub shub bolo. Why torture him with my films?
Naseer: He doesn���t watch half of his own films. And I have not watched some of mine either, like the recent Mere Baap Pehle Aap and Jaane Tu....
Anupam: I don���t watch his films because phir mujhe complex ho jayega. I remember when I came to Mumbai and bought my first car and you gave me a proud look that said, ���Wow, you have got a car now!��� also remember your expression after you watched one of my memorable films, and it was like ���Kya kar rahe ho, yaar?���
Naseer: You buying a car was like a personal achievement for me. As beginners we didn���t have a ghost of a chance to succeed in the industry and I think if we didn���t have unshakeable faith in ourselves, we would have succumbed to the pressures.
Anupam: I think it���s also the madness in us that kept us going.
Naseer: That quality is common between us besides the fact that we faced rejection when we started. I remember when I went to the film institute, people asked me what course I had come for. Acting! Eh? Shakal dekhi hai?
Anupam: Tell me about it...