Arshad urged Boman Irani to act in films 25 years ago

Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Actor Boman Irani has revealed that his "Munna Bhai M.B.B.S." co-star Arshad Warsi had urged him to try his hand at films when they shared the stage 25 years ago.

At the music launch of their film "The Legend of Michael Mishra", Boman said that his debut play was with Arshad 25 years ago.

During the course of the shows, Boman said that he was surprised to know Arshad was interested in acting in films when Arshad told him about actress Jaya Bachchan offering him a role in the film "Tere Mere Sapne".

"Arshad had got that role. He was so excited. He said to me: 'Boman, come with me, you should also act in movies.' I told him: 'It is my first play and I won't be able to do it. I don't have the confidence yet, I haven't done else than this play'. But he said: 'Promise me, you will do films some day and we will act together'.

"And then 13-14 years later, when I made my Hindi commercial film debut with 'Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.', Arshad and I were together in that film."

After the 2003 hit film, the duo went on to feature in films like "Lage Raho Munna Bhai", "Jolly LLB", "Hum Tum Aur Ghost" and "Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal".

Sharing an interesting incident from the first play, Boman said: "Arshad had done a short item song with a trishul in it and my entry was immediately after his exit. He moved his trishul around and threw it... where his assistant was present to catch it. But on that day, that assistant was flirting with another assistant, so when Arshad threw it, I was standing at the wings, it hit me and rivers of blood started flowing.

"So, it's actually blood relation between us. I have never let Arshad forget it and he still squirms about that story. Whenever I get the opportunity to do a film with Arshad, I do it just for the joy of being an actor to act with such a wonderful guy and also share time off-screen as he has such a good sense of humour."

"The Legend of Michael Mishra", also starring Aditi Rao Hydari, will release on August 5.