In various interviews Rajesh Kumar (of ‘Baa Bahoo aur Baby‘) has told about himself like his roles in different serials, his likings, his area of comfort and vice-versa etc., So here we will try to understand him in his own words.
“My character in Baa, Bahoo… is different from that of Rosesh in Sarabhai. I chose to do this serial as I wanted to break my image of a close-to-momma nerd, a character that was exclusively made for Sarabhai. Post Sarabhai I was getting the same type of comic roles. But the character of Subodh has helped me break that shell and people have started recognizing me as a versatile actor who can also do serious roles and they have also now heard my real voice”
“I am more uncomfortable doing comedy. If it doesn’t work you are finished. You just can’t pop up here and there like a joker. There has to be a very good script supporting your comic character. On the other hand with serious roles you can get away with just two tears in your eyes.”
“I am doing DD1’s Grah Dah, a period drama of late 1940’s based in Kolkata. This serial is adapted from the novel Grah Dah by famous novelist Sarat Chandra Chaterjee. I am the protagonist in the serial, with different shades to my character. Sometimes I am jovial, sometimes I am a psychopath who can go to extremes for love”
“It becomes really difficult to figure out dates for any other show. For 20 days in a month I am shooting for Baa, Bahoo…., which just leaves me with ten days and you can’t do any show with this less time in hand. With DD it’s a different scenario, they shoot only for five-six days that too during the month end. I just wish there were 40 days in a month so that I could work more. Moreover nothing meaty is coming to me”
“I have a film in the pipeline. I can’t divulge much about the film. Talks are on and it’s yet to be announced formally. It’s a new production house with a new set-up. It would be a typical multiplex film with all the masala in it. I can just say that mine is a very important character”
“It is only because of Roshesh that I get interviewed. (Laughs) It’s great! Frankly, I never thought I could do justice to Roshesh’s character.”
“Seriously? Yes, I did. I played a psycho in Sony’s Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka, a character with shades of grey in Kkusum…, but comedy…never! I don’t know how Aatish (Kapadia) and JD (Majethia) zeroed in on me. But really, I am indebted to them.”
“Frankly, it was scary as hell. Consider this — I had no experience in making people laugh, I had to have a definite accent, I had to inculcate a very high upper class attitude and I had to stand up to Satish Shah and Ratna Pathak…and this in every episode…”
“It took me 20 days to get the accent right. I worked on it all the time. Like, when I was driving or talking to people. You know I would go to posh restaurants and try to find characters who resembled Roshesh, and believe me, I would come across quite a few!”
“Well, I did the best thing that could have been done. I called up Aatish and spoke to him as Roshesh. He was taken up…and then things just fell into place. I knew the part was good, but it turned out to be better than I expected. Now I often wonder agar khasi ho gayi to kya karoonga….”
“Roshesh is not gay! He has a girlfriend. But I don’t blame the audience, he behaves like that”
“Firstly, let me tell you that Satishji behaves with me as if I am really Roshesh, the dumb younger son in the family, who cannot be taken seriously. So I am the butt of jokes for him, both on and off screen! As far as Ratna Pathak is concerned, she is like a mother to me…”
“Actor? Never. I had come to Mumbai to visit my pregnant sister and stayed on when I started getting offers.”
“Well, Kkusum’s whole family disappeared. Only her mother stayed on. This is what always happens when the tracks are not well cut out. But anyway, it is better to sit at home than sit on the sets doing twiddling your thumbs.”
“I cook. Anything cooked with paneer is my speciality. I am teaching my wife to cook. In fact, I am going to cook tonight too…my bai is on leave!”
