Two releases on a day, but Kay Kay wasn't nervous

Mumbai, Aug 24 (IANS) Kay Kay Menon, who has proven his mettle in different genres, had two releases on the same day this week - 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' and 'Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam'. But the actor says that he was far from nervous on D-day.

'What's the point of being nervous? It's done and gone. It's not like a stage performance where I can improve on the performance. 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' and 'Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam' are very different films. Am I proud of both films? I'm happy with both films. I was even proud of a few of my three scenes in 'Shaurya'.'

While 'Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam' is a comedy that also stars Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat, 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' is based on the 2006 Mumbai train bombings.

'I got to do comedy again in 'Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam'. This is an entirely new genre for me. The director Sanjay Chhel comes from Gujarati theatre. I play a Ghazal singer Haldi Hassan with a roving eye...slightly sleazy. And though I sing quite well I left it to the professional playback singers to sing for me. I'm only an actor,' Kay Kay told IANS.

The last time the actor tried his hand at something comic was in Reema Kagti's 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.'.

'But genres are not relevant. I leave it to the pundits to segregate by genre. I go by what the script requires from me. For me acting is cathartic. It gives me a chance to be and do what I wouldn't in real life. We actors are a blessed lot. Acting gives me a chance to recognise myself.'

Director Nishikant Kamath's 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' is a collage of stories related to the Mumbai train blasts, Kay Kay explained. And his role is once again very different.

'I play an unemployed guy. He can apply himself to work but chooses not to and hangs around with younger boys in an Irani cafe. It's all very interestingly done.'

Asked how he felt about not being in Ram Gopal Varma's 'Sarkar Raj' after being in the original 'Sarkar', Kay Kay laughed and said: 'I used to joke about me being a garlanded photograph in 'Sarkar Raj'. That didn't happen.

He added: ' 'Sarkar' was one of my most popular films. I'm quite happy with the work I do. I'm getting to live my life the way I do.'