I work hard to make my marriage work: Arjun Rampal

Unlike his character of a failed husband in the upcoming movie 'We are Family', national award winning actor Arjun Rampal says in real life, he works hard to make his marriage work.

"I have a nice family (wife, former super model Mehr Jessia and two daughters--Mihika and Myra) and would never want to rock the boat as I come from a broken home," Arjun told PTI.

Riding high on the success of his last release "Raajneeti", the actor says it is always a "yes" from his side for everything whatever his children want.

"So is the case on screen with the kids... which is why they were very possessive about their father and love him very much," Arjun, who plays a father of three in the movie, said.

The actor credits debutant director Siddharth Malhotra for making the movie light and entertaining. WAF is the Hindi remake of Hollywood classic 'Stepmom'.

"It has not turned out to be melodramatic. The director has brought a lot of dignity and realism to the characters."

The model-turned-actor is paired opposite Kajol and Kareena in the Karan Johar film, releasing on September 2.

Arjun and Kajol are divorced and Kareena plays his second wife. When Kajol is diagnosed with a terminally ill disease, she has no option but to rely on Kareena as a stepmother to her three children.

About his role, the actor said, "I play the most unsympathetic character. My job and challenge was to bring a level of sympathy and nobleness to it. The role essayed by Ed Harris in the original was of a older man and the scope was very restricted. But WAF is not a frame to frame copy of the original, it is an adaptation," he said.

"'We are Family' was a difficult film to do since the original was a huge success. But Kajol and Kareena have brought their own style to these characters essayed by Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in Stepmom," Arjun said.

Speaking about his experience on working with Kajol and Kareena, he said emotional scenes were entirely Kajol's turf
and doing them with her were a revelation.

"Kareena is like Sachin Tendulkar who is in great form and every thing is going right for her."

The 37-year-old actor said he never felt sidelined during the making of the film. 

"I knew what my part was. Besides, Kajol and Kareena are good actors with great body of work and experience. When you have good actors, you only create. There is no comparison," he said.

Arjun said he found a friend in Kareena and the chemistry between the two would show on screen. He also found the
casting of the three main leads very appropriate.

"To play a father was easy for me because i am one in real life. Karan told me that my body language with the children was fabulous. I feel it was so because it was real and not overdone. Besides, Kajol is a hands on, protective mother in real life. Kareena has no children. Her awkwardness and attempting to create a relationship with them came across well," he added.

Arjun agreed that in such a real life situation, kids suffer the most and the film depicts that facet too.

"The film attempts to break the prevailing stereotype that stepmom is a wicked witch. It only shows that in a crisis situation, love prevails over everything and at the same time new relationships can also be developed," he quipped.

Arjun said an ideal family knows to provide unconditional love and support each other in good and bad times. "It is like working as a unit, looking after each other and being sensitive to each other's emotions."

On his next movie 'Ra.One' with Shah Rukh and Kareena,
Arjun said he discovered that he was able to push himself to a
new level.

According to him, each film brings pressure, responsibility and anxiety. "Rest is destiny," he added.