'Good Comedy Needs The Perfect Combination': Johny Lever Looks Back On 45 Years Of His Cinematic Journey

He can be termed the only legend among comedians after the icons. John Prakashrao Janumala, known to us as Johny Lever, turned 70 on August 14, and this free spirit explains his longevity also to the fact that he has enjoyed his work for over 45 years in cinema alone. But there are other reasons too, as we shall find out.

Excerpts from the interview:

Congratulations, Johny bhai, on completing 70 years. How did you celebrate this landmark occasion?

Very simply—at home. I am not into cutting cakes, though my children do that sometimes. Main zameen se aaya hoon. I was a humble factory worker with a passion for comedy. God gave me this talent. All I will say that I put in the same dedication and 100 percent honesty as a worker into my films and shows. There is the same mehnat after more than 300 films as in my first film. To be loved for so many years, and still be wanted by the audience—I can only thank the Power above and the people. Progress, success, money—I have never concentrated on them.

I have learnt so much from Kalyanji (-Anandji) bhai, who not only was a legendary composer but also a great professor and philosopher. Even when I did not know what a camera was, he would continually talk to me about films and I would never understand why!

How did you meet him? And what was his role in your career?

A friend took me to him and told him about my comic talent. I became a part of Kalyanji-Anandji’s shows. Even my first film break was thanks to Kalyanji­-bhai in Yeh Rishta Na Tootay (1981). And a major turning-point was that gigantic never-before-never-again seven-hour show, Hope 86, which was attended by the entire industry, Raj Kapoor downwards.

Did you perform there?

Kalyanji-bhai took me backstage with him. Besides Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, R.D. Burman and Bappi Lahiri were also presenting songs, so in between their music, when the musicians were being changed, small skits were being performed. When one skit did not go down well, Anandji-bhai told Amjad Khan, who was an anchor, to allow me to go on stage.

I was already well-known for my shows and cassettes, and my act was a riot: with Jeetendra and Rishi Kapoor in the forefront demanding a “Once more!”. Later, the reviews of the show, among the actors, stressed only on Amitabh Bachchan and me!

You have had the great fortune to work in Mehmood’s last directorial, Dushmun Duniyaa Kaa and with Dev Anand as well? How were those experiences?

I knew Mehmood-saab as he was a part of many Kalyanji-Anandji shows and I truly enjoyed being directed by him, though my role was small. As for Dev-saab, being directed by him itself felt like a dream.

Who are your idols as actors?

Dilip Kumar, Naseeruddin Shah, Kishore Kumar and Mehmood—I still watch their films. Dilip-saab is a complete school of acting, and his name is mentioned in all acting classes!

But why have you always stuck to comedy? When can we see you in a serious role like in the recent I Want to Talk?

Right now, I am playing the lead in a film called Sabse Bada Rupaiya. There is some comedy in it, but it’s a completely different genre.

Arising from that, do you think that national recognitions, like awards or the Padma honours, have eluded you only because comedy is taken very lightly?

Jab milna hoga tab milega, if not, koi baat nahin. Love from the people is more precious than any award, but I do not think there is any link with comedy.

From the beginning, some filmmakers kept repeating you, creating characters in their films. Do you consider them your mentors?

This line is clearly about business. Everyone is known for their work, and if that is good, people will repeat you. Otherwise, a filmmaker will not cast even his son again!

You never had a dull spell since the 1993 Baazigar saw you breakthrough.

That’s not true. After 2000, I was having much less work for many, many years, until Rohit Shetty’s All The Best and Golmaal 3 changed my fortunes for the better. But that’s fine: every artiste goes through lows. Even Lord Ram had to suffer vanwaas for 14 years, right? As for Baazigar, yes, that remains my true professional turning-point, and though I never won any award for it, Babulal remains one of my favourite characters.

What does comedy mean to you?

You learn as you keep doing it! With committed filmmakers and writers, you find a roadmap that guides you. Good comedy needs the perfect combination of an able director, a great script and fine performers. Today, there is less hard work put in: no one has the time to invest in their work. Earlier, films ran for 100 weeks, but now it can be a three-day affair. So they are not interested in working hard.

But I believe in giving maximum inputs of my own, and in some cases, I have completely conceived and built my character, like that of Daler Mehndi in Anaari No. 1. Filmmakers find that they can rely on me, and this has helped me survive when many others did not. Look, why do you still want to watch Mehmood or Kishore Kumar, or even their clips? That constant striving for something better creates this kind of love from viewers! My belief is that I should never rely only on the writer but contribute myself to the character arc.

You have worked with almost every filmmaker who makes comedies today. Whose humour do you relate to the most?

Priyadarshan and Rohit Shetty really love comedy. Priyadarshan will himself enact the scene for you in English as he is not strong in Hindi. “Make your face like this!” he will say, or “No no, not like that!” He goes into such detail! Rohit is always goading me, “Aur kya kar sakte ho?”. Watch out for his Golmaal 5—it is mind-blowing. Even some other directors have a great sense of comedy, like N. Chandra (Tezaab, Narsimha).

We are actors who are told what to do, but when such filmmakers inspire us, we too apply our minds and make our characters stronger. After all, it is we who have to connect with the audience.

In older films, separate comedy tracks used to be written. Is that the reason that we virtually have no other pure comedian today besides Johny Lever?

I think that when comedians began to make an impact, the heroes and even villains felt that they could and should do comedy too! Slowly, the pure comedy tracks began to be cut. But if I survived this decline, it is because of my inputs! Who will turn you down if you can add to a character?

This even helped me survive a ban, as an item I had done had upset people in the Middle-East! The producers’ association called me and declared they would not work with me as the Middle-East was a big market! I replied that I could manage with my shows and regional films. But then they all decided to edit my footage out for the prints sent to the territories where I was banned!

You have enacted characters of all religions and professions. Have you ever faced any backlash?

I have stopped taking needless risks. We are now in a time when if a Christian like me plays a pujari, a miyabhai or even a Christian, they all think I am ridiculing their religions. As for professions, I am okay.

Finally. How do you look at the way your children’s careers are going?

Jamie is doing well, especially in her shows. I am very happy when people praise her. Jesse is also doing his own thing. Their time too will come.