30 Years after Dharmendra played himself in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi, the affable actor's son Bobby Deol has played himself in Samir Karnik's unusually entitled Nanhe Jaisalmer.

"It wasn't easy, I can tell you that," laughs the gentle Deol. "People think it's the easiest thing in the world to play yourself on screen. But I think it's far easier to play other characters."

So what does Bobby play Nanhe Jaisalmer. "I can't reveal the plot. But I can tell you, it's my first realistic film," admits the actor who has made a career out of doing tough-nut-to-crack characters. Well now Bobby doesn't mind softening his image...even if it means playing his own alter-ego on screen.

Playing Bobby isn't quite the same thing as playing Dharam in Guddi. "In the earlier neo-classic Dharmendra starred as the matinee idol who helps the star-struck adolescent (Jaya Bhaduri) to realize you can't marry the fantasy man.

Smiles Bobby, "I'm not playing anything so grand or noble. It's a small realistic film."

Other actors who have played themselves on screen: Madhuri Dixit in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Karan Johar in Home Delivery, Shabana Azmi in Khamosh.