Paresh Rawal on playing Sunil Dutt to Narendra Modi

In Sanju, BJP MP and actor Paresh Rawal plays erstwhile Congress MP and actor Sunil Dutt. Politics aside, Rawal, 64, identified with the actor as a human being. There was effusive praise. “Sunil Dutt’s set of values... he was a man of such nobility,” said Rawal.

“He never bad-mouthed anyone. There were no blame games. He fought the battle with dignity. There was no self-pity. He knew the truth (of his son’s actions) and that one has to suffer the consequences.” Acting in his first Rajkumar Hirani film, Rawal said he has emerged a better man and a chunk of credit goes to the part he plays. “There’s so much goodness and truth in him,” he added.

Balancing a career as a politician and that of an actor is new territory for Rawal. He admits that the “engagement, involvement and commitment” on dual fronts is tough and has taken a toll on his health. “If I said I’d do something and I don’t do it, then it hurts and troubles me,” said Rawal. “I am a very emotional person and I get stressed. But I have to go till the end. Main karoonga”.

There is no question of giving up acting though, a performing art he has been dedicated to since the age of 14. “I am an actor first. I am in politics because of it,” he said. “Slowly I have got some control over my craft, understood some things and duniyadaari. Through cinema, I can do some reform work also. OMG: Oh My God! is an example.”

Rawal is happy to see the Gujarati film industry grow, and looks forward to acting and producing a film. There’s no question of direction though. “I have suffered a lot. When you do good theatre, you crave for good roles, which I wasn’t getting in the 1990s,” he said. “Now the time is good for actors because new directors and writers are emerging and I don’t want to shut my shop as an actor.”

Next up for Rawal is reprising his most popular role till date in the hilarious "Babu Bhai" in Hera Pheri 3. And then comes the biggest project of his life — a Hindi-English biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“It is a huge responsibility,” said Rawal on playing the Prime Minister. “His whole life has been a trial by fire. His managerial ability is impressive. He wants to serve the nation and not work for himself.”

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