Vinay Pathak has a crush on Juhi Chawla

Actor Vinay Pathak almost got slotted in the comic actor category, when he reminded everyone that he can carry off serious roles with equal panache in his recently released film that portrays the harsh reality of groom kidnapping in north India.

“I’m not for this tradition of labeling and slotting actors as comic actors or serious actors. We are just doing our job by enacting a role out. How it shapes out is not fully in our control,” he says adding, “Suddenly if one gets two comic roles in succession, they’re branded as comic actors, and that is sad.”

Talking about his two new releases, one is a thriller-drama in which he plays the money-eyed father of the kidnapped groom and the other release, a rib-tickler, sees him as a greedy cop.

Vinay says, “The critical acclaim that the former film has received is truly humbling. I’m happy that the hard work the cast put in has been recognised.”

Drifting away from films, we can’t resist but ask Vinay if he is trying to make a fashion statement as he is rarely seen without his sling bag these days and he laughs, “What fashion statement? I am a very forgetful person by nature, so I dump all my belongings in the bag and throw it around my shoulder,” he says.

Ask him what does he carry in such a huge bag and he says, “The usual stuff... maybe a diary, my specs, one for far sightedness and the other for short sightedness, my car keys, my house keys, wallet, scripts, mobile phone. Basically, the sling bag is a sign of my weakness, that I am a forgetful man,” he sighs.

Having received a lot of acclaim for his comic timing in various films, we ask Vinay whose sense of humour does he admire in this industry and he immediately says, “Juhi Chawla.

She is one actor who has not got her due when it comes to comedy. She has an uncanny sense of dangerous humour,” he says suddenly acting like a starry-eyed kid. Tell him that and he says, “Why just me, all my friends had a crush on Juhi while growing up,” he says before signing off.