Bollywood News

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.