by Subhash K Jha

Chandan Arora's Main Meri Patni Aur Woh isn't the first film to have 'dared' to sign an unconventional 'character' actor in the lead.

Many years ago M.S. Sathyu had cast another 'character' actor Balraj Sahni in one of the most memorable leads ever in Garam Hawa.

Many aficionados including Shabana Azmi rate it as the single-most accomplished performance by a male actor.

From the time Kamal Amrohi cast the unconventional Nasir Khan (Dilip Kumar's brother) as Meena Kumari's romantic interest in the dark and melancholic Daera, conventional heroes have been sporadically sidelined for the character actors to take over the leading man's slot.

In Mahesh Bhatt's Arth the role of the principal male lead was played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda, one of our finest character actors in his only lead role and performance.

Braveheart Raj Kumar Santoshi cast a cluster of character actors, from Naseeruddin Shan and Om Puri to Viju Khote and Amrish Puri in the lead in China Gate. Though the film failed it stands out for its outstanding use of peripheral talent as the pivot.

Dependable character actors have always cribbed about principal parts going to the less deserving.

Says Om Puri, "Whether it's Naseer, Kulbhushan or me, we're constantly being used like aloo(potato) to liven up a bland dish. How many times have I stood before male leads who are far less talented than me, cringing in frustration?"

"Bahut bura lagta hai," agrees Anupam Kher who got a chance to play the lead in Mahesh Bhatt's sublime Saraansh and was soon after slotted as character actor for all times...until Jahnu Baruah's Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara ... where he again got to shine in a rare role written for a character actor in the central role. Now he's all set to play Iago in a screen version of Othello that he's producing.

Last year Anupam failed as the main lead in Shukriya.

Now this week it's Rajpal Yadav who was first seen as the principal lead in Chandan Arora's Main Madhuri Dixit Ban-na Chahti Hoon. Now the same director has cast him as the romantic lead in Main Meri Patni Aur Wohopposite Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta.

Reminds us of good old Mehmood who had to produce his own films or get good friends to do the needful in order to fulfil his heroic ambitions in Mastana, Kunwara Baap and Ginny Aur Johnny.

Paresh Rawal is another character actor itching to take centrestage. Two years ago he played the lead in Kehta Hai Dil Baar Baar but backtracked when it backfired . He's now back to playing the strong supportive part in films like Hulchal and Hungama which are virtually his films.

Will Rajpal Yadav make that transition from aloo to biryani? He's being offered leads galore.He recently said no to Dick in Deepak Tijori's Tom Dick & Harry . "But I've no illusions about my looks and position. I've no interest in running around trees. Why should I when I can entertain people in other more innovative ways?".