"Three pretty women and I play the villain. I couldn't ask for more." - Murli Sharma

Courtesy: IndiaFM
Wednesday, March 01, 2006

"I had read somewhere that the life you live is the choices you make. And I want to live a good life as an actor" says Murli Sharma who earned plaudits galore recently for his role of the paan-chewing Bihari in Prakash Jhaa's Apaharan. "The best part about being an actor is that you get to live different lives. You get to be what you want to do and at times what you would never want to be or imaging. That's where the whole challenge lies. Bringing every character to life - good, bad, ugly", smiles the actor who these days is being touted as the hottest baddie in Bollywood. And he goes one step further now with Harry Baweja's Teesri Aankh wherein he plays a real sleazy crook Dinesh Gambhir. We caught up with the talented actor for a brief chat.

So yet another film up for release .... Nervous, excited ...
Very excited ...a bit nervous when I think about how the audience would receive it.

You won appreciation for your performance in Apharan.
Yes it was really very exhilarating and flattering. The entire credit, like I always said, should go to Prakash Jha for the way he conceived and wrote it. The process of shooting the film was a real great experience which I will always cherish.

So coming to Teesri Aankh, what is the film all about.
It talks about the flip side of technology. How hidden cameras have made many lives miserable. How technology is being misused by the human mind. How innocent girls get sucked and stuck in this web... it's a nice pacy, interesting dramatic commercial tale with a bit of social awareness.

What is your character in it..
My character is called Dinesh Gambhir who is characterless. He is a real mean bad guy, who deals in the trade of blue films along with his partner in crime Dinesh Husmukh. Women and camera are their tools to spin money. His only ambition is to rule in this business. Ruthless, Wicked, Greedy, Sleazy - that's Dinesh Gambhir.

How was it playing a character like this...
Very difficult. It's nowhere close to anyone of us. It's difficult as an actor to imagine or believe in a character or personality like Gambhir. So it becomes very challenging. You completely go by your imagination and what the director tells you. And then you have to play it in a manner that the character looks believable.... In a way that is seems that the character actually exists.

How was it working with Sunny Deol?
I didn't get to do much with him, just a bit in the climax where he bashes me up. But ya I have been a Sunny Deol fan, myself. I have seen a lot of his films like Arjun, Tridev, Ghayal, Dacait and many more while I was in college and you know what, my girl friend was a real huge Sunny fan which I didn't quite like though (laughs).

And Amisha, Neha Dhupia, Aarti Chabria ...
What more could one ask for? Three pretty women and I play the villain (laughs). So I couldn't ask for more. Well jokes apart, it was a good experience. With Amisha and Neha I had some action and chase sequences too and they were very sporting and co-operative. So it was fun working with them.

What about the rape scene with Neha?
It wasn't a rape but an attempt to rape when the film takes a very drastic and shocking turn. But like I said Neha was very sweet. I was the one who was nervous. Harryji (Baweja) and the action director P.Kumar were also very supportive. Again, as an actor a very difficult scene to do. Such a difficult unbelievable situation to be in where you are about to get into such a heinous and gruesome act. So that's the challenge for you as an actor. I think it went off well.

How was it working with Harry Baweja?
Wonderful! He knows exactly what he wants from his actors and the way he explains it, you don't have to do much after that. At the same time I think he is a wonderful human being. I am looking forward to work with him again. I am also very grateful to him for having given me this role. It's one step further for me in life.

Do you think Teesri Aankh will work..
If I knew and if I could predict then I would, like our famous astrologers, make that a part-time business. But yes it's my film. We have all put in lot of efforts. I am sure everyone does. So I want it to work. I hope, pray and believe that it does. It has all the ingredients. But we will have to wait and watch. Friday will tell.

So is it that you will only do negative roles?
No. I told Rakesh Roshan to replace Hrithik with me in Krrish. I also told Ramuji to think about me for the new film he is thinking with Shahrukh ... (sarcastically) Ok, jokes aside .....Honestly I am only looking at good interesting characters which matter to the film.... Positive, negative whatever I don't have strategies. I don't plan because someone told me that you plan and god laughs. But I am being very careful while choosing my films.

What else besides this.....
There is a film on the life of income tax officers called "Ek Dastak" being made by Sudhanshu Jha wherein I play an income tax officer which is a positive role. Then there is an international film "The Memsaheb" another English film "Detour" which I did sometime back and I wish it gets to the theaters soon. Will start working on 3 new films soon.

Nothing on television?

Something really interesting and worthwhile coming in. I will talk about it only when it's about to go on air. Makes sense!