Trained at the Film Institute, Pune, Asrani has lent his great performing skills to every role that he has played. Fondly remembering his performances in movies like "Guddi", "Sholay" and regretting a bit about being stamped as a comedian, Asrani feels that acting is a deep experience.
Regrets, memories and more this "angrez ke zamane ka jailor" shares it all.

1. Did you venture into Hindi movies thinking you wanted to become a comedian?
While I was studying in college I read an advertisement about an acting course at the Film Institute Pune. It is not an institute that can distribute talent. You got to have something in you that can be developed. We had many classes like dance, yoga etc.
After the training at the Film Institute I had never thought that I would become a comedian. I had thought that I would become a character artiste. However I landed with the film "Guddi' in which I played a comic role. Once the movie does well you get stamped with the role you have portrayed.

2. Do you regret being "stamped " as a comedian?
Yes, but luckily I got good roles. I worked with people like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Shakti Samant and L.V Prasad. They were not limited directors. In movies like Abhimaan, I had a very good role absolutely parallel to Amitabh's role. In Chaitali Hrishikesh gave me a villainous role. In the film Koshish also, I played a negative character.
Other than these producers, the rest thought that I should be limited to comedy. At one point I rebelled and made my own movie 'Chala Murari Hero Banne'.

3. Any plans of directing/producing more movies?
At the moment I don't have any plans. In the future I may.

4. What are the qualities a person should have before joining an acting school?
You should have some personality. Basically some inner qualities, some timing sense, some body language. Personality is the sum total of many things. The film institutes sharpen these qualities but you must have some kind of personality.

5. Who has been your favourite comedian?
I was very impressed by Kishore Kumar. I also liked Motilalji and Yakub. To an extent I liked Johnny Walker. Even Mehmood who was very versatile till the time his role consisted of double meaning dialogues. That was something obnoxious.

6. So how did you keep away from double meaning dialogues?
Actually a lot depends on the kind of background you come from, education and culture. I always said no for wearing female costumes unless it was very very necessary. You can draw a line. If you are convinced about something you can convince others.

7. Do you think compared to yesteryears, comedians/character artiste share a larger part of limelight today? Have things changed a lot?
The scene has changed because right from hero to the heroine to character actor to the villain everyone is doing comedy. It is a very sad state. Good-looking tough heroes are doing comedy. The audience may appreciate them for a moment but it is not good in the long run. Everybody has become a comedian.

8. Which role of yours has been memorable one?
Balika Badhu, Abhimaan, Guddi, Koshish, Chaitali, Sholay.. these roles were memorable.

9. Any experiences that you would like to share?
With time sometimes people forget you. Your movies don't come for a while. Luckily the audience till today remembers me for my performances. May be because so many movies are shown on various channels. It is a deep experience you can never get anywhere else that is why it is memorable.

10. So off-screen is Asrani as hilarious as he is on-screen?
Comedy and in all kind of acting you have to build a character and you need a lot of effort. This can exhaust you. That is in front of the camera.
As a person I am very humane and love to be alone. I just observe people and keep quiet and observe people.