Arshad Warsi says ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’ circuit could never fit ‘Golmaal’: ‘The mindset and the sensibility just won’t match’ |

Arshad Warsi says ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’ circuit could never fit ‘Golmaal’: ‘The mindset and the sensibility just won’t match’

Arshad Warsi has entertained audiences for decades with memorable comic characters from franchises like ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’, ‘Golmaal’ and ‘Dhamaal’. While many associate the actor with his impeccable comic timing, Warsi believes the secret lies in staying true to each character rather than repeating a successful formula. While gearing up for the release of ‘Pritam and Pedro’, the actor reflected on why every comedy role demands a completely different approach.

Each comedy character belongs to his own world

Having portrayed fan favorite characters like Circuit, Madhav and Adi, Arshad says he never tries to make them different on his own. According to him, the distinction comes entirely from the filmmaker’s writing and vision.Explaining his philosophy, he said, “A circuit has to make the audience laugh differently than a Gopal or a Madhav. But it’s not about me deciding to make them different. It’s about how the character is written. I need to play this character exactly as the director or writer envisioned it. That’s what organic humor draws from.”He also emphasized that each franchise has its own identity and rhythm, which makes it impossible to transplant a character to another universe.“I can’t do a circuit in a ‘Golmaal’. It just won’t fit. The lines won’t fit. The mentality and the sensibility just won’t match. Each character has their own sacred space. You have to approach it strictly from the point of view of this film, from the point of view of the story and from the point of view of the writer-director. You don’t mess with that.”

Rajkumar Hirani‘s comedy works differently

Warsi, who is reuniting with Rajkumar Hirani through ‘Pritam and Pedro’, says the filmmaker’s brand of humor is different from conventional slapstick. Instead of relying on punchlines, Hirani creates comedy by adding subtle humor to emotionally intense situations.Speaking to Variety India about the filmmaker’s style, Arshad shared, “Raju’s comedies are not like any of them. It’s a very different space. It’s more natural, more realistic and deeply human. I can take a sequence from his film and give it to you, and the exact same sequence could be shot very seriously as a pure sequence. But it’s supposed to be a comedy sequence. It’s dramatic and serious, and it gives it a twist light Doing so suddenly changes the whole dynamic of the scene. That’s his specialty — most people just can’t do that.”Hinting at what the audience can expect from ‘Pritam and Pedro’, he added, “We also have these sequences in this show. There’s a serious robbery going on, but in the back of your mind, there’s a little smile on your face because you see something strange happening, something that’s actually very obvious and real. I like doing all these styles, to be honest.”

Why Arshad forgot how to play Circuit

During the launch of ‘Pritam and Pedro’, Rajkumar Hirani shared a funny story from the sets of ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’. According to the filmmaker, Arshad initially struggled to get back into the personality of Circuit after a long gap between the two films.Recalling the incident, Hirani said, “There was a time when Arshad forgot how to play Circuit. Three years after ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’, we were shooting on the first day of ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’. I kept looking at him through the monitor and said, ‘Arshad, Circuit nahi lag raha hai, yaar. Kuch alag ho raha hai.’ He looked at me and said, “Haan yaar, kuch alag ho raha hai.” In fact, he took a DVD of the first film into his van, sat there for half an hour to watch himself play the character, and only then did he get back into the groove.“Warsi admitted that forgetting her previous roles is actually part of her process.“That’s exactly how I operate. You do your job, completely forget about it, and move on to the next one. You have to completely clear your mind to think about the next character.”

Arshad’s next outing is ‘Pritam and Pedro’

After appearing in ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, Arshad will next be seen in ‘Pritam and Pedro’, directed by Avinash Arun and supported by Rajkumar Hirani. The series stars Vir Hirani opposite Warsi and follows the unlikely partnership between Pedro Gonsalves, an old-school Goan police officer, and Pritam, a young cyber expert, as they investigate a high-risk digital hijacking orchestrated by a cybercriminal played by Vikrant Massey.Combining crime, comedy and generational conflict, ‘Pritam and Pedro’ promises to showcase another side of Arshad Warsi’s comic repertoire while staying true to his belief that every character deserves their own identity.