If you rest, you rust: Jaaved Jaaferi on his prolific career in TV and cinema

Ask a 1990s kid about Jaaved Jaaferi and such is his impact on w grown-up generation that t one person will come up with same answer about multi-hyphenate personality. More than a household name, Jaaferi, is a part of childhood stalgia of many.

"I was really lucky and blessed to be in projects which actually worked across time," he told PTI in an interview. As an actor, Jaaferi me his feature film debut in 1985's "Meri Jung", starring Anil Kapoor and Meenakshi Sheshri.

It was probably first time Bollywood saw a "dancing villain", he said about his character Vikram Thakral who memorably grooved to "Bol Baby Bol Rock n' Roll". "In a way, I contributed to shifting parigm of Bollywood dancing. Before me, re was Mithun da, but when I came in 1985, it was was very different. Govinda came later and he was about easiness, expression. Mine was more technical, which was what later Prabhudheva did," Jaaferi said.

As small screen grew bigger in its reach and invation, actor, though he continued acting in films, also spearheed shift that came with cable television through "Timex Timepass" and "Videocon Flashback" on Channel V. On one show, he would slip in and out of character of say, veteran actor Sohrab Modi, and to a random Maharashtrian man on or.

"I used a lot of 'India' in se shows. In one show, I went from actors Sohrab Modi to Ashok Kumar ji, Shah Rukh Khan to anybody. n I used Sindhi, Maharashtrian, Bengali, so that hn't happened n. Video jockeying was very western initially  - 'Yo!' and all. So I said, let's do opposite, make it 'oye', it's Indian. This is what I used in 'Flashback'. I also used Hinglish (blend of Hindi and English) which was groundbreaking."

"Boogie Woogie", which came in 1996 with Jaaferi judging and hosting, broke new ground. His bror Naved directed show, which latter created with actor Ravi Behl. Sony TV show, which ran for seven seasons, was a cult phemen and one of first dance reality shows in world.

"body h thought that dance would reach such heights, that people from remote areas and vills would come to participate. 'Boogie Woogie' was very different. re was platform like this anywhere else. American show 'So You Think You Can Dance?' came in 2004, this came in 1996," he ded.

In meanwhile, his cameo in 1998 film "Bombay Boys" happened, wherein he sang self-composed song "Mumbhai". track captured irreverence and spirit of being a Mumbaikar, something he is synymous with even today.  

In 2003's "Jajantaram Mamantaram", Jaaferi, 56, played an Indian Gulliver-esque character in fantasy action comedy. film was box office wonder but is perhaps remembered for being modern Indian retelling of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels". actor again used his voice talent to connect audience with "Takeshi's Castle", a Japanese game show, which aired on Pogo TV in 2005.

His depan comic commentary, dubbed in Hindi, won him more fans across all groups. " best compliment I got was from Javed Akhtar sahab, who wrote 'Meri Jung'. He said, 'Jaaved you have done to television what Ameen Sayani sahab did to rio'," Jaaferi said.

"Especially, 'Boogie Woogie' and 'Takeshi's Castle' lasted over so many years that a generation grew up watching m. When people say 'you have been a part of our childhood', I feel so blessed. One movie is something else, but to be re every week continuously for 10-14 years is... you get connected," he ded.

"Maska" actor said as an artiste one has to keep moving. "You have to keep oiling joints, orwise, as y say, if you rest, you rust." He said he still believes a lot of his potential is to be tapped but he is enjoying doing roles he is getting to play.

"I can do so much more. I try to give something new to characters. I try to become m rar than you see me in a different way. Wher serious or comic, I try to expand my territory," said Jaaferi, whose last cinematic outings include "Bala" and "Jabariya Jodi".

An aware citizen, Jaaferi also contested 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Luckw as a candidate from Aam Ami Party (AAP). "I stood up (for elections) because it was becoming about choosing between two options. n I realised I'm t cut out for this (politics). You have to be thick-skinned. I'm an emotional person, creative. I say things which may t work. Sometimes I can't keep it inside. I am opinionated."

actor said re has been a "certain polarisation within industry" in last four-six years. "It can affect your work. So a lot of people don't talk about it as y believe it can affect ir work. A lot of people on social media tell me 'you are an actor, you act, why talk politics?' But I feel as a citizen of this country -- actor, doctor or engineer, you have a voice.

"As long as you can vote, you can have an opinion - whatever it may be. I'm against term 'ruling party'. You are a serving party, you serve people. Don't use words that tell people subconsciously that y are our rulers. y are answerable to questions, That's where I come from." Jaaferi's upcoming projects include "Sooryavanshi", "Coolie 1", "Takht", among ors.