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Cool chap's comic touch

Actor Ritiesh Deshmukh shares his views on money, movies and more

PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

SERIOUS ABOUT COMEDY Ritiesh Deshmukh

After Bluffmaster and Malamaal Weekly, Ritiesh Deshmukh is after money again in Apna Sapna Money Money. "It's a great coincidence. Here I play a con man who changes his appearance every time he is about to be caught."

Ritiesh says the audience will see him as a girl, an old Nepalese man and a Kathak trainer. "All of them were difficult to play. To play the role of the Nepalese, I had a fake nose, which used to fall off quite often. I lost the ground beneath my feet, learning Kathak movements. But the most difficult part was the girl's one. The make-up used to take hours. I had to go for waxing and threading. Doing the part I realised what a girl has to go through to look pretty."

The most difficult scene, he says, is when he as a girl had to entice an aged Anupam Kher.

"I hope people will find it hot!"

Money matters

In real life, Ritiesh says he is not too much after money. "Everybody needs money to run their life, but I wish to have just enough to fulfil my daily needs."

He says he felt embarrassed watching certain scenes in Kya Kool Hain Hum. "It's because of my upbringing.

But all said and done, once I sign a film I stand by it. My personal and professional life is completely different."

Ritiesh's rise as a comic actor is the result of the trend of urbane fun films. He has emerged as an actor who can blend style and comedy effortlessly.

"I agree it's a new phenomenon and a realistic way to look at situations. Earlier, there were defined roles like hero, heroine, vamp and comedian. Nowadays, comic parts are no longer just for comedians and settings need not be rural or fantastic. You don't need to speak a dialect to sound hilarious. Directors and actors have realised one could look `cool' while enacting a funny situation."

Ritiesh fears getting stereotyped, but adds he is not getting exciting offers. "I loved and learnt acting, doing bit roles in Naach and Bardasht but recently no exciting serious role has come my way." So he continues to have fun with films like Dhamaal, De Taali and Hey Baby.

ANUJ KUMAR

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