20 Years of Munna Bhai MBBS EXCLUSIVE: “After the film’s release, I got 5 to 10 calls from unknown people requesting me, ‘Meri exam de do’!” – Kurush Deboo

Before Munna Bhai MBBS (2003), Kurush Deboo had worked in the film industry for nearly 14 years. But the Sanjay Dutt-starrer made him a recognizable face. 20 years later, he’s still benefiting from his lovely role as Dr Rustom Pavri in Rajkumar Hirani’s social comedy-drama. As Munna Bhai MBBS completed 20 years on December 19, Kurush Deboo spoke exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about the film and a lot more.

How did you bag the film?

The assistant director asked me to audition in their office. After auditioning, I forgot about it. 3-4 weeks later, I was told that I was shortlisted. I was asked to meet the director. The day I went, Rajkumar Hirani couldn’t meet and later, I was told that I had bagged the role of Dr Rustom Pavri.

Then when I went to the office, Rajkumar Hirani and associate director Rajesh Mapuskar asked me questions about my character, my observations about doctors etc. They have known me since the time I did my first film, Percy (1989). Rajesh and I worked on several ads while Raju edited a few of my ads. For his ad company, Canvas Films, I had auditioned but never got a chance to act in their ads!

I was the lucky mascot for Munna Bhai MBBS because the mahurat shot was picturized on me. The first shot was of me running towards my house to check how my father was after my character took the exam.

How was it working with director Rajkumar Hirani?

Raju had planned the shoot meticulously. He also gave us a lot of liberty and allowed us to improvise. We would bounce off suggestions. My catchphrase, for instance, was ‘How would I know sir?’. During rehearsal, I would mouth it flatly or in a matter-of-fact manner. He suggested that I should emphasize on ‘would’ and give a pause between ‘would’ and ‘I’ so that the emotions would come out correctly. As per his idea, I spoke ‘How would…I know sir?’. It became one of the most popular lines. Raju was also an actor and a model. He knows the rhytm and at times, I blindly followed him.

How was it working with Sanjay Dutt?

Sanju Baba is very funny and casual. Chief assistant director Urmi Juvekar used to read the line out to Sanju. He would hear the dialogue 2-3 times only and he would remember it. A lot of dialogues had medical terms and yet, he remembered it easily. Hats off to his memory! I, meanwhile, would take an hour to memorize these terms.

He prefers to give a shot in one take. He doesn’t like retakes. Yet, he was okay if his co-star required a take. For a scene, he could sense that I wanted to go for another take. He asked me, ‘Kurush, do you want another take?’. I said, ‘I wish but I guess Raju sir won’t be happy’. He assured me not to worry and he told Raju, ‘Raju, I want one more take’. Raju agreed.

You mean to say that he made it look like you wanted a take…

Yes. I thanked him. He said, ‘Arre, nahin nahin. You perform well. You deserve a retake if you want. Bolne ka. Usme kya hai?’.

He would also play carrom with Arshad Warsi, Jimmy Sheirgill, me and Bomi Dotiwala (Rustom’s father).

In the climax narration, it was revealed that Dr Rustom becomes the dean and there was a dialogue ‘Isne abhi tak shaadi nahin ki’. What was the reason behind adding this line?

I don’t know but I guess there were three reasons. Dr Rustom was dedicated to his profession. Secondly, he was also dedicated to his father. Once you are a scholar and your life surrounds your work, you will lack social skills. You won’t be mingling socially. Also, once you cross a certain age, it’s difficult to find a partner. This is a reality in the Parsi community.

Did people start recognizing you more after Munna Bhai MBBS?

My first film was Percy for which I got nominated for Best Actor at the National Awards. That film was seen only by FTII students and Parsi community members. I dreamt that this film would help me make a commercial career lekin kuch nahin hua. Then I worked in a commercial film, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994). Shah Rukh Khan became a star with this film and Baazigar (1993). Lekin iss film se mujhe personal fayda nahin hua. I got appreciation from the public and industry but it didn’t translate into more work. I worked in Such A Long Journey (1998), an ensemble film. It didn’t get the appreciation and release that were intended. My cameos in Kasoor (2001) and Jhankaar Beats (2003) got some fame but again, these roles weren’t game-changers.

Then, one day, during the post-production of Munna Bhai MBBS, Raju told me, ‘Kurush, believe me, yeh film release hone ke baad tujhe bahut roles milenge’! I replied, ‘Kya bol raha hai tu? Malum hai na? Itni saari films ki. Kuch nahin hua. I hope people like my role and the film lekin role milna mere liye dushwaar ho gaya hai’. He claimed, ‘Main tujhe guarantee se bolta hoon ki tujhe bahut roles milenge’.

He was right. Until Munna Bhai MBBS, I had not even worked in 10 films from 1989 to 2003. After the release of this film, I have completed 50 feature films, 20 TV shows, 10 web series and 200 commercials! Mere liye Raju sir aur Vidhu Vinod Chopra bhagwan jaise hai as they gave me a big break. I got name, fame, money, stardom and recognition. Even if I have a beard or in an unusual get-up, people recognize me instantly in India as well as abroad. So many actors do great work. Their shelf life is over in 5 years. But thanks to this film, I am continuously working as an actor and have a career of 35 years now.

Were doctors offended after watching this film? Did any doctor express their displeasure ever?

I must have met 50 doctors since 2003. Not a single doctor criticized the film. They also understand that it was an entertainer. However, I got a different kind of reaction. One day, at 2:00 am, I got a call. The boy said, ‘I study in a medical college in Pune. I am trying to study hard but I am not able to memorize. Aap please meri exam de do. Main aapka zindagi bhar Ghulam rahunga kyunki aapko sab kuch aata hai’. I told him, ‘Pagal hai kya? Main doctor nahin hoon. Main actor hoon’. He said, ‘Kya baat kar rahe ho? Aapko toh sab doctor hi bulate hai’. Maybe, the guy was pulling my leg. But later, I got 5 to 10 calls from unknown people requesting me, ‘Meri exam de do’!

Secondly, whenever instances of students cheating in exams used to be reported, my clip from Munna Bhai MBBS would be played for dramatic representation of how the cheating must have happened (smiles).

Then I worked on a TV Show ‘Jeannie Aur Juju’. One day, I was home as it was my off. The assistant director called me to inform me that his elder brother was very ill. He asked ‘Main kya karoon?’. I gave him general advice and suggested that his brother should get admitted to a hospital. He replied, ‘Sir, aap hi uska ilaaj karo’. I was confused and asked him ‘Why are you asking me’. He replied, ‘Aap ko nahin puchunga kya? You know better than others’. I had to clarify that I am not a doctor. He was shocked as he felt I was one in real life. Imagine he was an assistant director and even he didn’t know.