‘Family is dead in Bollywood’: Zarina Wahab on choosing Telugu films; Boman Irani calls The Raja Saab star Prabhas ‘unlike a superstar’

Zarina Wahab reveals why she did The Raja Saab with Prabhas.

Maruthi’s horror comedy The Raja Saab, starring Prabhas, is all set to release in cinemas this Friday on January 9. As part of the film’s promotions, an event was held in Mumbai on Monday. While the lead actor, Prabhas, couldn’t make it, Maruthi and the rest of the cast attended the event. These included the leading ladies — Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, and Niddhi Agerwal — along with supporting cast members Boman Irani and Zarina Wahab.

Wahab, 66, plays the grandmother (or a mother figure) of Prabhas, 46, in The Raja Saab. While she’s no stranger to Telugu cinema, having acted in Telugu films since Gajula Kishtayya in 1975, she reveals what made her excited to join the cast of Maruthi’s film. “I have been working in the industry for more than 40 years now. I am from Andhra, so I can speak good Telugu, much better than anybody else. Everybody kept asking me why I wasn’t working in Telugu films. I’ve worked in a few, but this film is bringing me more fame,” said Wahab at the event.

She also reasoned that the motif of family has now gone missing from Hindi films. “People in Bombay ask me, why are you doing Telugu films? Hindi films main family mar gayi hai. There’s no family. Sirf South mai family abhi bhi zinda hai (The concept of family has died in Hindi; it’s only alive in the South). They produce such family-oriented films that people love to watch. I am currently working on 2-3 more Telugu movies,” added Wahab.

She clarified that she’s as much grateful to Telugu films as she’s to Hindi films for the boost in her four-decade-plus career. At a pre-release event in Hyderabad last month, Prabhas had also heaped praises on Wahab. “This is a story about a grandmother and grandson. Zarina Wahab has acted wonderfully as the grandmother. While dubbing, I was so absorbed in her scenes that I forgot my own dialogues. I became a fan of my on-screen grandmother. In this film, along with me, the grandmother character is also a hero,” he said.

Earlier, in an interview with Lehren Retro, Wahab went on to say she wants a son like Prabhas in real life. “There cannot be anyone like Prabhas. He is so good that I pray to God, I want two sons in my next life, one Sooraj (Pancholi) and one Prabhas. He is such a lovely person,” she said, adding, “That man has no ego in him. He always shakes hand after pack up with everyone on set. He doesn’t have to do it. Yet, he is kind.”

Boman Irani, who’s also a part of The Raja Saab cast, also lauded Prabhas’ no-airs attitude at the Mumbai event. “We expect that his behaviour will also be like a superstar. And it’s not! With his team, with the other actors, with the actors with smaller parts, with technicians, with every single person, Prabhas talks like a young boy,” said Boman. “There is something very boy-ish about him, there is something very innocent about him. He is enjoying his superstardom, but he is not putting it in your face. He’s a superstar, we recognise it, but he doesn’t want you to treat him like a superstar,” added Boman.

The actor received his breakthrough in Bollywood with Rajkumar Hirani’s 2003 comedy Munna Bhai MBBS. He was also a part of the 2006 sequel Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Hence, the question on the status of Munna Bhai 3 continues to chase him till date. “I truly believe that when the time is right and the story is right, Munna Bhai 3 will happen. I have manifested it in my heart, and I’m hopeful that someday it will come together. Aap log bhi Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) ko par pressure dalo,” said Boman.

Sanjay Dutt is also a part of The Raja Saab, as he plays the chief antagonist. “Working with Sanjay Dutt has always been very special. Munna Bhai wasn’t just a film, it was an emotion. We were like a family, and those moments stay with you for life,” said Boman, adding, “He brings a unique energy to the set, making the working environment comfortable and creatively stimulating.”