By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Mar 28 (IANS): Talented actor Arshad Warsi says he has hiked his price after the success of "Ishqiya" but he isn't sure if he'll be paid what he's asking.
The actor said: "I'd have asked for what I deserve even if 'Ishqiya' hadn't worked. I'm finally asking for the price I deserve. I was completely underpaid earlier. I'll ask for a certain price now (Rs.3 crore). If I don't get it I'll continue to be an underpaid actor for films I believe in."
"For example if I am asked to do a sequel to 'Ishqiya' I wouldn't ask for money. I haven't ever asked for money for the Munnabhai movies. If I feel the film helps me in any way as an actor I'll cut my price," he added.
But "Gol Maal", Arshad feels, is a commercial film and therefore should be lucrative for him.
" 'Gol Maal' doesn't help the actors at all. It only helps the director. 'Munnabhai' does help the actors. Even 'Dhamaal', whose sequel I'm doing, doesn't help actors. 'Gol Maal' and 'Dhamaal' mean another hit for me. Nothing more."
Between "Gol Maal 3" and "Dhamaal" Arshad is doing Mani Ratnam's assistant Bijoy Nambiar's gritty real-life drama.
"After 'Gol Maal 3' I'll do a small-budget film before going into 'Dhamaal'. It's the kind of film that enthuses me as an actor. I play a cop in a real-life setting in Mumbai."
Arshad was almost not in "Gol Maal 3" because of the price factor, though he gives another reason for his near non-presence in "Gol Maal 3".
"I needed a gap of at least two weeks between the last day of my own production and the first day of the shooting of 'Gol Maal'. After running around like a mad man for the promotion of 'Ishqiya' and completing 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost' I really needed a break. I've had no chance to relax. But now I'm starting 'Gol Maal 3' on the day after the release of 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost'. So no respite. I really begged them for time off."
He's also not sure if he's part of the Munnabhai franchise any more.
"In the last conversation I had with Raj Kumar Hirani he said he's working on his script. It looks like we might be doing it at the end of the year. But until it happens I can't be sure. What I'm sure of are the 'Gol Maal' and 'Dhamaal' sequels."
Arshad said: "I'm very much obliged to the makers of 'Gol Maal' for making me a part of their franchise. My equity is bound to increase with the sequels."
Arshad will now turn director in 2011 with an action thriller but very stylish in execution.
"I'm ready to direct. It's a film called 'Akadd'. It will be a very realistic, quirky action comedy. I won't be beating up 25 people in the film. The style of acting, dialogue delivery, the actors' body language would all be life-like. The heroine's role is very very important."