Laugh out loud with Rakesh Bedi

The veteran Bollywood comedian Rakesh Bedi gets ready to don no less than 24 avatars in his latest theatrical presentation Massage in Dubai

Veteran Bollywood comedian Rakesh Bedi may sound as humorous in real life as he does on screen. But that does not mean that he does not take a serious stand on issues that are close to his heart. Take for instance his views on the television industry. "TV is nothing like it was back in the day. I fondly remember the days of Doordarshan, when content was made from the heart. Writers, directors and actors were very passionate and would put their hearts and souls into their shows. Pure talent was manifested on screen. Whereas today, it's all about TRP ratings. It's about sensationalised depictions. TV actors think they are demi-gods. My experience of 40 years does not count," said Bedi, while speaking to City Times from Mumbai.
The actor, who is famous for his excellent comic timing and unique dialogue delivery, is now bringing his inimitable style to the Dubai stage. His one-man play Massage is set to entertain audiences on Friday, November 23 at Emirates International School Jumeirah, Dubai.
Talking about Massage, the actor says he dons different robes in the monologue. "It's a two-hour solo performance in which I enact 24 characters. Written by the famed playwright Vijay Tendulkar, Massage has been running for the past 14 years and I've taken it all around the world," Bedi says.
"I have done quite a few plays in Dubai, including Massage, but that was a long time back. The story revolves around a man who comes to Mumbai with dreams of becoming a hero, but to his bad luck, he lands up a job as an assistant to a filmmaker who specialises in  'C grade' films. With his sensitivity gone for a toss, he gets disillusioned and quits movies only to land up in a ladies gym as an instructor. Then destiny takes a turn and he comes across funny experiences. It's a funny take on life. I have not done anything in life that does not have humour, so expect the play to be packed with fun moments," the actor explains.
Bedi proudly boasts of being one of the few actors to have continuously worked in three mediums (film, TV and theatre) for about four decades. But when asked which medium is his favourite he replies, "It's difficult to categorise, all of them are my favourites because each medium comes with its own merits." 
So what made the actor take to comedy? "When I joined the film industry in the mid-70s, it was the era of formula films. We had stereotypical heroes, heroines and villains. And I thought, in that scenario, I didn't fit in as a hero nor a villain. Since comedy came naturally to me, I thought why not explore that genre. So here I am nearly 40-years on, still doing what I do best."
The actor, who is known for playing memorable roles in movies such as Chashme Buddoor, Ram Teri Ganga Maili and Ek Duuje Ke Liye, besides other films, nurtures fond memories of the film industry. Going back to his early days, he says there was lots of camaraderie within the fraternity. "We were like one big family. There was harmony. We shared cordial relationships both and off the set. There was no hierarchy, everyone was equal. Star status was prevalent only in the movies, off screen everyone was equal. No one showed attitude. I have seen the days when wolves and lambs sat on the same table and ate together. It was so much fun working."
To drive the point further, Bedi recollected an incident when he was a rank newcomer in the industry. "I was a fresher and had to shoot for a movie in Khandala with the legendary Sanjeev Kumar. It was for Hamare Tumhare way back in 1979. Since I was a new, the producer had given me a public bus ticket to go to the location and return to Mumbai. I shot for 10-15 days and during this time, Sanjeev Kumar grew very fond of me, he liked my sense of humour and my jokes so much that we even used have our meals together. On the last day of the shoot, he asked me when I would be done with my shooting. I told him I would be around about 4-5 pm. When I finished the shoot, I was surprised to see Sanjeev Kumar's Mercedes parked by the roadside. I asked his driver what he was doing there since the actor had packed up at 11 am. He told me that Sanjeev Kumar waited the whole day just to drop me to Mumbai. He was a big star and he didn't have to do that. But that was his greatness... he was a wonderful human being."
When asked if the theatre is losing its appeal considering the changing preferences of younger audiences, Bedi retorted, "I don't agree with that. Theatre is about 3,000 years old. If you go back in time, you will see how theatre has survived in spite of thousands of onslaughts on it. You may have movies, TV and online entertainment services (like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video), but tell me, what can be more thrilling than watching a play live on stage, right in front of your eyes?
"I remember when I did my play Jab We Separated in Mumbai, it was watched by at least 5,000 people. They all laughed and enjoyed it. Do you think any other media can evoke such a response? There were young people in the audience too and I could see them enjoying every moment."
For Bedi, there is nothing purer than theatre. "Don't give up watching theatre, support theatre, it is the purest form of art, there is nothing more entertaining than that. There is no technology, no retakes, no special effects or filters. It's just the content and you. You can't get anything better than that," he concluded.
 
Show details
Massage will be staged on Friday, November 23 at Emirates International School Jumeirah, Dubai. The play will start at 7:30 pm. Tickets for the show are available at https://www.meraticket.com.
 
 
michael@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai