Paresh Rawal, the veteran Bollywood actor, has expressed his feelings about his iconic character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from the Hera Pheri franchise. While the character is widely loved, Rawal believes its immense popularity has overshadowed his other performances.
During a recent podcast with Raj Shamani, Rawal reflected on how the constant association with Baburao has become a source of creative frustration. He admitted that he is "bored" of seeing the character projected in the same light repeatedly. Rawal feels trapped by the image and believes that constantly churning out the same character just to please people is detrimental to his growth as an actor.
Rawal recalled instances where he approached directors Vishal Bhardwaj and R. Balki, requesting them to cast him in roles that would break away from the Baburao image. He even suggested playing a completely different character while retaining the same get-up, but his requests were turned down. Rawal articulated his desire to escape the creative confinement, stating, "I'm an actor, mujhe fasna nahi hai aise daldal mein," which translates to "I don't want to be stuck in this swamp".
Rawal revealed that he has consistently declined offers to play characters that are essentially caricatures of Baburao. He understands the commercial appeal of the character and the desire to capitalize on its popularity. However, he feels it is important to explore new avenues and not get typecast. He also acknowledged that legally, the character is the property of Firoz Nadiadwala, limiting his ability to play Baburao in other productions.
Despite his reservations, Rawal is set to reprise his role as Baburao in Hera Pheri 3. He had previously stepped away from the project due to creative differences but later rejoined the team. Hera Pheri 3 is scheduled to commence filming early next year and will reunite Rawal with Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, who will also reprise their roles as Raju and Shyam respectively.
Rawal's film debut was in 1984 with Holi. He gained recognition throughout the 1980s and 1990s, often playing supporting and villainous roles. In 1994, he received the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Rawal transitioned to comedic roles in the 2000s, delivering hits such as Hera Pheri, Welcome, Oh My God, and Hungama.
