Arshad Warsi recently revealed the surprising reason he took on the role in the 2002 film Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, and his unusual request to the director, Rajkumar Kohli. In a recent interview with Raj Shamani, Warsi admitted that he isn't proud of being part of the film, often considered a "cult misfire" despite its star-studded cast.
Warsi explained that his primary motivation for accepting the role was financial. He and his wife, Maria Goretti, were in the process of building a house and had exhausted their funds. "I just needed the money," Warsi confessed. "Maria and I were building a house, but after buying it we had no money left to actually build something. We were collecting money from wherever we could. I mean, the terrace of my home could be constructed because of Jaani Dushman," he said. He was new to the industry and was not aware of the director's reputation.
Adding a humorous twist to the story, Warsi revealed that he had asked Rajkumar Kohli to kill his character off as early as possible in the film. “When he (Rajkumar) asked me to make it, I told him to kill me off first". However, Kohli didn't agree to his request.
Warsi also shared anecdotes about his co-star, Akshay Kumar, who had a very different approach to the film. According to Warsi, Kumar was enthusiastic about taking on multiple roles and wanted to be the reincarnation of every character that died in the film. "He kept coming back and trying to fit himself into other characters,” Warsi added humorously. Warsi recalls Kumar saying, " Jo bhi marega, uske baad mai aajata hu (I will come as the reincarnation of whoever dies)".
Despite his reservations about the film itself, Warsi expressed respect and admiration for director Rajkumar Kohli. He described Kohli as "one of the nicest people in the industry" and appreciated his professional ethics. "When he called you for a film, most actors would say yes—purely because of the kind of person he was,” the actor shared. He praised Kohli for never troubling his actors with schedule or money problems and ensuring that fees were paid promptly. "Your fees would reach you before you even had to ask," Warsi said.
Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, a fantasy action thriller, featured a large ensemble cast, including Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Aditya Pancholi, and Manisha Koirala. While the film didn't perform well at the box office initially, it later gained a cult following through television viewership. Warsi jokingly mentioned that if you look closely, there is a smile on his face when he is dying in the film.
