Johnny rarely misses an episode of Pakistani TV shows such as Mazaqraat and Khabarnak. Johnny poses with the cast and director of Dilwale at the film’s trailer launch in MumbaiĪnd despite decades waving past, the indulgence hasn’t died down. Even when I was starting out, I used to watch Pakistani comedy programmes and learnt a lot from them,” he recalls. “I’m a really big deewana of Umer Shareef’s style of comedy. He finds no shame in admitting that Moin Akhtar and Umer Shareef have taught him a great deal and feels the schism between the two entertainment industries is only imaginary. The veteran comedian has been a strong proponent of cultural exchange across the barbed line of control. During the relatively lean years of his career when Bollywood was no more dependent on the supplier of its chief ingredient, he even tried his luck with Reema Khan’s Love Mein Ghum. The environment hasn’t always remained wonderful for Johnny. He was constantly giving us feedback on ways to improve our performances.” Would have never cast Moin Akhtar in my film: Anwar Maqsood “Shah Rukh bhai created such a wonderful work environment, not just for me but also the younger lot such as Varun Dhawan and Varun Sharma. Johnny is quick to add that Shah Rukh is still the same humble man he had befriended years ago. When we started out, he used to be Shah Rukh bhai to me but now he has become King Khan.” “I was a bit nervous because during this whole time he has gone straight to the top of Bollywood and is now its Mount Everest. He has climbed to the top and is today the unparalleled ruler of the industry. “Even my comic timing becomes impeccable when I am working alongside him.” But the Shah Rukh he had once known is no more the same. Terming his character in the film as his best role so far, Johnny said Dilwale is also special for him because it reunites him with his old friend and collaborator Shah Rukh after a gap of almost 12 years.Ĭrediting their chemistry to Shah Rukh’s charisma and screen presence, he shares how his co-star tends to bring the best out of him. Johnny will next be seen in Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale, playing the role of a desperate thief-cum-pickpocket who befriends Raj (Shah Rukh) after the latter rescues him from a public mauling when he is caught red-handed. Laughter therapy: Saad Haroon pokes at issues so dirty, it makes you laugh At the age of 65, he is still on top of the game whose rules he authored in India. Yet, no one has been able to replace Johnny the mimic, the cruel Gabbar Singh who wouldn’t even give you a chance to catch your breath during the fits of laughter he’d invoke in you. Comedy has evolved in Indian cinema and there are ample people shouldering it. “I didn’t want to be the kabab mein haddi and eat into other people’s careers.” Almost a decade ago, Johnny slowly began to fade away from his own muse. Someone had to come after me and now there are actors such as Paresh Rawal, Boman Irani and Rajpal Yadav,” he adds. Over the years, the unsung star has somewhat sunk into the horizon. “I realised that I had done enough work to gain recognition with the people.

Then a time came when Johnny learnt to say no. No matter what the genre, producers used to say that they want me in their films,” he recalls, during an exclusive conversation with The Express Tribune. “I was there in almost 85 per cent of the films during those days. The ‘Dilwale’ who wear their hearts on their sleeves With his semi-mullet and multiple avatars, Johnny became Bollywood’s true mascot. While the three embodied finesse, perfectionism, body ideals and looks, there was Johnny embodying everything the three Khans weren’t. The decade saw the three Khans - Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan - emerge and own literally everything Indian film was about.

He cemented his position as a must-have for almost every Bollywood project that was conceived during the 90s. The statement holds weight when put into perspective with Johnny’s career. His adroit responses and first-rate knowledge of Pakistani TV, comedy and society in general, proved why this man was able to define Indian comedy over an illustrious career spanning decades. Even before I could pose any questions, veteran Bollywood actor and comedian Johnny Lever caught me off-guard. Comics world over have this one common trait that makes them what they are - they can wear your shoes.

Omer shareef show november 2015