After 10 years, I’m on a movie poster: Manu Rishi

NEW DELHI - Writer-actor Manu Rishi says his happiness knows no limit when his daughter points out to a poster of Rajat Kapoor’s Phas Gaya Re Obama on a bus and says, That’s my dad!.

In 10 years, this is the first time that I have featured on a movie poster. It is a big achievement for me, Rishi told IANS.

I feel all the more proud, especially when the poster is on the same bus - the one from Andheri station - that I used to travel in during my struggling days. And when my own daughter points out at it, stares, smiles and feels proud… I feel very emotional, he added.

Rishi, who was seen as Abhay Deol’s friend-turned-foe Bangali in “Oye Lucky…Lucky Oye, plays Anni in Phas Gaya Re Obama, a satire on global recession that emerged in the US.

Anni wears striped ties, expensive watches, likes to watch Hollywood films like ‘Rocky’ and ‘Rambo’. He really looks up to President Obama, and his ultimate goal in life is to go to ‘Amreeka’, not ‘America’, he said.

The film, releasing Friday, also features Rajat Kapoor, Neha Dhupia, Amole Gupte and Sanjay Mishra. It has been directed by debutant Subhash Kapoor.

Rishi worked in the Delhi theatre circuit before shifting to Mumbai to pursue his Bollywood dreams. Initially he had assisted actor-director Rajat Kapoor and waited to get good roles.

In the meantime, he started writing songs for TV shows and even worked as a third dialogue writer. But lady luck smiled at him when he was introduced to Dibaker Banerjee who helmed “Oye Lucky…” and since then, life has changed for him.

He has also done cameos in “Mithya”, “Ek Chalis Ki Last Local” and “Mixed Doubles”,

Is it tough to be an actor in Bollywood without a godfather?

Yes…but not impossible. One needs a lot of friends and a lot of patience - friends to keep your faith alive and patience to do the right kind of work. I have learnt from my theatre guru Piyush Mishra that - ‘Always talk like an actor, walk like an actor and wait like an actor’, said Rishi.

He is now looking forward to the release of Amit Saxena’s Tina Ki Chaabi and Sanjay Kataria’s 10 ml Love. He is also shooting for Boys Toh Boys Hain.

As a writer, Rishi has worked on Sudhir Mishra’s Ye Saali Zindagi and Shashant Shah’s Matric Pass among others, which are yet to hit the screens.

My only dream is to do respectful work,” said Rishi.