Om Puri plays the important role of the cop(played by film-land's resident cop-player Iftikher in the original) in Farhan Akhtar's Don. "It's one of the few films I've signed recently," says Om.

"The other is Mani Shankar's Mukhbir where I play a very intriguing role as Sammir Dattani's mentor. I'm no longer interested in doing a load of work just to be busy and prolific."

"I'm not very happy with the films that are coming my way," Om admits candidly. "A Mani Shankar or a Farhan Akhtar come to me once in a while. I used to do a lot more work earlier, and most of it quite happily.

A character-actor with my experience should be able to do six-seven films comfortably per year, without going into multiple shifts per day. But I'm dismayed by the drop in quality work in my career. So far I didn't allow myself to get bitter about it. But now it's getting a little frustrating.

The good character- roles are now being played by the saleable stars. The process of taking over the character slots started earlier.

The leading men wanted to do the villain's and then the comedian's role. Now they want to play even those roles with four-five scenes that used to come to people like me and Naseer. Ab to mujhe apne kaabiliyat pe shaque hone lagaa hai (I've begun to doubt my own capabilities).

Maybe I've been over-estimating myself an actor all these years. What's the point of being called a good actor when you aren't taken seriously even by those filmmakers who swore by the capabilities of Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri?"

Om is specially hurt by the seeming betrayal of avant-garde friends like Govind Nihalani and Prakash Jha. "Apaharan has Ajay Devgan. I'm not against stars. He's a fine actor. But if Prakash moves to stars, what happens to an actor like me?

All the finest filmmakers of Hindi cinema—Sanjay Bhansali, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Govind Nihalani, Ketan Mehta, Prakash Jha— want to work with big stars.Role hi nahin milte humein!

When was the last time you saw me sink my teeth into a role? How can I, when I've nothing to do? Dhoop and Dev? After that? Nothing worth mentioning."

The actor par-excellence has decided to do away with inane roles in big potboilers. "I'd rather sit at home doing nothing. When you argue that a Govind Nihalani has to sell his film to distributors through stars, you forget Aakrosh and Ardh Satya which featured me.

Didn't these films have to be sold to the public? On the other hand Govind's Dev had the biggest stars. So what happened to the film? A film doesn't become successful because of a star, or a group of stars.

It just has to touch the audiences heart. I've a grouse against filmmakers like Prakash Jha and Raj Santoshi (who was an assistant to Govind Nihalani during Ardh Satya). When they make small-budget films, they come running to me or Naseer. But when they've a sizeable budget they don't even look at us."

Om pauses to sigh. "I'm more hurt than angry. Where am I supposed to go? I've proved myself repeatedly as an actor. Hum achcha kaam karne ke liye kahan jaayen?(where do I go to do quality work). This industry is my home."

The actor will now work only in dignified parts. "I've no regrets about doing a two-scene role in Rang De Basanti. I had told Rakeysh Mehra that I've nothing much to do. He told me he needed me. And I'm glad.

People may have reservations about the ending. But Rang De Basanti is a film that knocks the lid off all definitions of art and commercial cinema. It shakes you up. Let's not make unnecessary distinctions between art and commerce."

Om is also upbeat about Mani Shankar's Mukhbir. "I've an important film.It's a wonderful concept. And a very good script. I enjoyed working with Mani Shankar. And it's heartening to see an enthusiastic newcomer like Sammir Dattani at work.

New talent like Sammir who's hard-working disciplined and serious about his work, is eminently welcome. I think the star system needs to be broken. And so too the filmmakers' mindset. If it's the Mahabharat it's got to be Amitabh Bachchan as Bhimsha Pitamah, Shah Rukh as Karan, Aamir as Arjun and Salman Khan as Ashwathama.

If I'm lucky and if Saif Ali Khan refuses I get to play the sutradhar.

Earlier an actor like me was sure I'd get work though less money in a specific kind of film. Now that era is gone. Apaharan, Family and Khakee aren't hardcore commercial films. They're off-mainstream films brought into the mainstream through the presence of big stars."

"I was lucky to have done Aakrosh and Ardh Satya. If they were made today I wouldn't stand a chance," says Om who's all set to be on the jury of the Monte Carlo Film Festival at the end of this year.

The international projects that were a constant part of Om's shooting have for now, run out. "Every year there were at least two international projects.This year I was supposed to a Spanish film. But I couldn't honour that commitment due to date problems.

But now, I've cleared the clutter of commitments. Earlier I was afraid to sit at home. No more. No more rubbish, even for big banners in Bollywood.

I'm waiting for Sanjay Bhansali to sign me. At this stage of my career I can't go to him, or his colleagues, for work. I never did that. I won't go to anyone. I'll wait."