So, there is nothing 'favourite' or 'not favourite' for me. Versatility should be an actor's USP.

And trust me, I don't sign a film seeing its genre. If the script kicks me, I am game! Most actors say comedy is the most difficult genre.

..

Undoubtedly, as it is the MOST difficult thing to make people laugh - and that too intelligently. Comedy by force is the most horrible thing.

Kolar khosay pa pichle pore gele audience-er hashi paye na! But situational comedy always generates laughter. Do you feel one needs to be a powerful actor to make comedy work? One needs to have acting qualities to essay each and every character.

If a top comedian is given a role in a forced comedy, the audience will not laugh. But in a situational comedy, any actor can make the audience laugh, since they're actually laughing at the situation.

Your favourite comedians..

. To me, Johny Lever is THE comedian.

Johor Roy and Robi Ghosh are icons too. Payel said in an interview to TOI that 'Mithunda is a sweetheart'.

..

. (Laughs) She is a sweetheart too.

Amar payer upor danriye nachtoh! So, she is a sweet'hurt'! Do you think comedy in films has evolved with time? With time, the concept of comedy has changed. I am a positive person and I see positivity in everything.

I feel comedy films too have evolved. Today's generation might laugh at funny films from the past, but some classic comedies were made then.

What's keeping you busy these days? I am acting in "Zakhme" and in director Niraj Pathak's film. I'm also doing Ashuu Trikha's "Enemy" with Mimoh.

After the success of "Housefull 2", a producer wants to cast me and Akshay Kumar in a film. Maalkori thik moto dile sign korbo (laughs).

Choreographer Saroj Khan says Mimoh is a terrific dancer..

. I feel proud as a father to hear that.

What's happening on the Tolly front? Will you only act in parallel films in Bangla? I am so busy with Hindi films at present that I say no to a lot of offers from Tollywood. To me, there are two types of films - commercial and non-commercial.

A parallel film, which runs successfully at the BO, is a commercial film, right? Commercial films are those that bring back profit to the producers and non-commercial films are those that fail at the box office. And Mithun Chakraborty only acts in films which are commercial (less)

1 films (Hero, Coolie, Anari) and another fixture on the sets would be Kader Khan, who would be there as a co-actor and dialogue writer. We didn't realise it then, but the combination was writing film history as they ad-libbed and smart-assed their way to creating a whole new genre that is still known as the Govinda genre.

Dialogue from those films is still repeated and everyone who has cracked up at them has a favourite. All this is in my mind as I go to meet Kader Khan (65), who hasn't been seen in the movies for some time having seemingly passed his sell-by date as have so many wonderful entertainers of that decade.

I couldn't be more wrong. Kader Khan is neither down, nor out.

He has just seamlessly progressed to the next phase of his life with the very ambitious project of creating an entire syllabus from nursery to post graduation in Islamic studies which will be taught in Madrasas. For this he has taken all the Urdu and Arabic texts written in a form not easily understood and created a simplified version; in some cases, with translations.

He will also be opening an institute in Canada (he is a citizen) where the syllabus will be taught and intends to start a film industry in Toronto which will also have a school for acting and screenplay writing. With his well-wishers setting up a kabab restaurant aptly called KK Kabab Korner in Dubai , where the dishes will be named after his famous films such as Amar Akbar Anthony or Agneepath , his hands are full.

I am in for another surprise. With more than 700 films in his kitty - 450 as actor and 250 as writer (largely dialogue writer) - I expect his office to be full of Bollywood memorabilia, a shrine to his past exploits.

But there is nothing like that, no trophies that Bollywood used to hand out at every milestone (50 days, 100 days), and no personal citations either. Instead, ceiling high bookshelves line every wall, crammed with several copies of the Holy Quran and Urdu tomes.

A couple of VHS copies of films and an English book on screenplay writing vie desperately for space but they are so easily outnumbered they don't count. Amidst this sits a serene Kader Khan, dressed in a green T-shirt and black trousers, gazing out with the gentlest of eyes, nursing his knees which underwent a replacement surgery but still ache.

Is he upset or cross with Bollywood? "Not really," he shakes his head, "It's just that the directors who were my teachers such as Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra are no longer there. When I was in trouble, I could go to them, put my head in their lap and maybe shed a few tears.

Now there is no lap, there's just a laptop but I still write by hand. Kisine itni mohabbat se awaaz hi nahi di, ke hum daud ke pahunch jate.

(No one has called out lovingly enough for me to want to reply) My father was a priest, a maulvi, and he always wanted that I should do something in education. He believed, and I do too, that with education, a lot of misconceptions about religion can be eradicated.

In my own small way, I am trying to further his dream." "Also, that was a time of collaborative thinking.

All the actors with whom I did some of my best work, be it Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Govinda, Shakti Kapoor, Aruna Irani, Asrani or Johny Lever, would put themselves entirely in my hands and allow me to flesh out their characters with dialogue. Where does that camaraderie or love exist today? What people call our chemistry was just this, an acceptance of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

" We trade favourite dialogue and I tell him mine is his throwaway line in Coolie No. 1 in which he deadpans to a reluctant Govinda that his daughter is 'kunwari' (unmarried) and his is a more weighty one from Amar Akbar Anthony 'talvar ka vaar jise maar na sake woh Amar hai, aag ko jalakar jo rakakh kar de woh Akbar hai, apun nahi public bolta hai ke anhonee ko jo honee bana dale woh Anthony hai.

' "The dialogue of those films has become today's grammar," he opines adding with a laugh, "Maybe I will have to come back to break that and provide them with a new grammar." And while on the subject of iconic films, his reasoning is that if they have to be remade they must be with stars that match the stature of those in the earlier film, not with newcomers because that dilutes it.

He has written several films with hard-hitting dialogue like in Agneepath, Angaar, Naseeb and many more as well as some rib-tickling lines in comedy. Which comes easier? "I am first of all an actor, so all the lines I write, whether hard-hitting or comic, are lines I have said and acted out already.

So really all an actor would have to do was make it his own and imitate me." So what does he think of the dialogue of the recent Agneepath, as he had written the classic dialogue in the national award-winning original.

"I haven't seen the film yet so I can't comment, but I have full faith in Karan Johar whose work I respect. He is an intelligent and responsible man and I want to see what he has done before commenting.

" Though he doesn't see many films, "it's like revisiting my own follies, there are so many references to films I wrote for" he does like the Rohit Shetty Golmaal brand of humour. And if he had to pass on his baton, who would it be to? He shrugs.

"No one I've met yet." (less)

The show - which will be based on the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - will feature Sherlock living in New York City rather than London's Baker Street. Michael Cuesta is set to direct the project, which has been written by Robert Doherty and will see Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly executive produce.

Johnny recently starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the titular character in BBC One's 'Sherlock', in 'Frankenstein' at London's National Theatre. Last month, 'Sherlock' producer Sue Vertue said the prospect of creating a "modernised" Sherlock Holmes is "extremely worrying" as she is concerned CBS' remake may overlap with the UK twist on the show.

She said: "At the time, they made great assurances about their integrity, so we have to assume that their modernised Sherlock Holmes doesn't resemble ours in any way, as that would be extremely worrying. We are very proud of our show and like any proud parent, will protect the interest and wellbeing of our offspring.

" Tweet (less)

The show - which will be based on the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - will feature Sherlock living in New York City rather than London's Baker Street. Michael Cuesta is set to direct the project, which has been written by Robert Doherty and will see Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly executive produce.

Johnny recently starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the titular character in BBC One's 'Sherlock', in 'Frankenstein' at London's National Theatre. Last month, 'Sherlock' producer Sue Vertue said the prospect of creating a "modernised" Sherlock Holmes is "extremely worrying" as she is concerned CBS' remake may overlap with the UK twist on the show.

She said: "At the time, they made great assurances about their integrity, so we have to assume that their modernised Sherlock Holmes doesn't resemble ours in any way, as that would be extremely worrying. We are very proud of our show and like any proud parent, will protect the interest and wellbeing of our offspring.

" Tweet (less)

The show - which will be based on the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - will feature Sherlock living in New York City rather than London's Baker Street. Michael Cuesta is set to direct the project, which has been written by Robert Doherty and will see Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly executive produce.

Johnny recently starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the titular character in BBC One's 'Sherlock', in 'Frankenstein' at London's National Theatre. Last month, 'Sherlock' producer Sue Vertue said the prospect of creating a "modernised" Sherlock Holmes is "extremely worrying" as she is concerned CBS' remake may overlap with the UK twist on the show.

She said: "At the time, they made great assurances about their integrity, so we have to assume that their modernised Sherlock Holmes doesn't resemble ours in any way, as that would be extremely worrying. We are very proud of our show and like any proud parent, will protect the interest and wellbeing of our offspring.

" Tweet (less)

Johnny Lever, the president of CINTAA, presided over the meeting. A source present at the meeting said, "It was like a war of words.

Neither party was willing to relent. The meeting ended in a deadlock.

Later, Deepika proceeded to Taurani's office in Khar." CINTAA general secretary, Dharmesh Tiwari said, "I haven't heard from either of them.

" Apparently, Taurani's office atmosphere did not help in resolving the issue either. Deepika's spokesperson confirmed, "We are still in dialogue.

" (less)

Yet you opted for the predictable. l Well, in Bollywood, a filmmaker has to think of casting a heroine like me in a project with a strong script.

It's not a one-man show here. So far I think Bollywood films have given me a great platform.

The stakes are higher in B-Town, so, I can't afford to wait for subject-oriented roles forever. So far your two big hits have two Khans -Aamir and Salman - in the lead roles.

I don't mind sharing my success with a super star or an entire ensemble cast. I have no qualms being part of a film that has super stars.

Films are commercially viable when you work with a superstar. That's why I did London Dreams and Ready.

If film buffs want to see the Khans in a film and the leading lady in a slightly less significant role then I have no problems there. You've worked with Salman Khan twice.

How's your equation with him? There were rumours that he was recommending you to filmmakers. Salman is very, very fond of me.

He is extremely chilled out and a great friend. My comfort level with him is reflected on screen because I understand his sense of humour.

He appreciates the fact that I don't misunderstand him. You were once very close to Neil Nitin Mukesh who you once termed as a 4 am friend.

What went wrong between the two of you? I don't get into any catfights with any of my colleagues. I want to keep a healthy work vibe with them, so I constantly message my women colleagues to keep in touch with them even after our film has wrapped up.

I also share a great rapport with Mithunda to John, Akshay , Ritesh , Johnny Lever . But Neil is not my friend at all.

I hardly know him. I've met Neil only twice.

Your father is supportive about your career and has a say in your personal life as well. I am an only child, so not only my father even my mother is also very supportive of my career.

However, my father is not a part of script narrations, shootings, promotional tours. He sometimes even does not know which movie script I have said 'yes' to.

He does not take a call on my personal decisions. So whoever thinks this has got their facts wrong! (less)

When I mime others, people find it hilarious. But main naqal karta hoon, logon ka mazak nahin udata! I remember the time when our former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and actor Amitabh Bachchan came up on to the stage and hugged me after I mimed them in an act.

I wasn't making fun of them, but was merely copying their nuances. Main logon ki dukhti rag pe kabhi hath nahin rakhta, and people appreciate this fact.

I have been a jury member on many comedy shows. I've also acted in quite a few films and done theatre, but I always keep the family audience in mind.

In theatre, you are worried that if you go over-the-top with your dialogues or get vulgar, people will throw rotten tomatoes at you, but you can't break your television set when such double meaning dialogues are served blatantly on channels. All you can do is flip the channel.

It's difficult to make good stuff, I guess (less)

However, in Bollywood, he is known most for his comic outings. On the other hand Johnny Lever is Bollywood's longest surviving comedian, especially in the times when leading men have started enacting comical and villainous characters.

A veteran of over 200 movies, he has literally seen it and done all. However, in spite of both Priyadarshan and Johnny Lever being a part of the industry for more than 25 years, they never crossed path.

Even though Priyadarshan films usually boast of at least half a dozen comic characters, there was never a place for Johnny Lever. There were regulars like Paresh Rawal, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi and Shakti Kapoor in most of his outings but Johnny Lever was always conspicuous by his absence.

This is why it makes for an event of sorts when Priyadarshan and Johnny Lever join hands for De Dana Dan , the first film ever that sees the two together. Though the film has more than two dozen characters, hence being the makers biggest ever comedy, there is promise of a well etched out role for Johnny Lever who would finally be making a debut in a Priyadarshan setup.

"Johnny has a very funny role in De Dana Dan . He plays a professional killer who has never been caught", informs Priyadarshan when asked about the comedian's part in the film, "He dumps people with chloroform.

The situation in the film is such that he has been assigned the responsibility of killing somebody but he gets a wrong identity. He starts hunting down someone whom he is not really supposed to kill.

All his attempts prove to be futile and how he keeps failing all the time, brings in a lot of humour in the film." One can't help but ask the film maker though as to what took him so long to rope in Johnny Lever? After all there would have been countless other opportunities where he could have fit in? "Johnny is a superb actor and both of us coming together should have been something special", says Priyadarshan, "I wanted to give him a role which should disappoint neither him nor me.

It should have been worthy enough. Finally, in De Dana Dan , I got a very interesting role for him.

When you watch the film, you would see for yourself that how he actually enhances the original Hera Pheri team of Akshay, Suniel and Paresh." Well, one really hopes so.

After all the man can be trusted to stand tall in a massive crowd that comprises of Archana Puran Singh, Asrani, Chunky Pandey, Manoj Joshi, Rajpal Yadav, Tinu Anand, Sharat Saxena and Himani Shivpuri other than the principal star cast (less)