Not necessary a good actor will be good at comedy: Anees Bazmee

Mumbai: Filmmaker Anees Bazmee believes it is not necessary that an exceptional actor will be good at comedy as getting the timing right is tough.

Bazmee, who has directed some of the biggest comedy films including "Welcome", "No Entry", "Ready", said actors like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor have the capacity to do wonders on screen.

"It isn't necessary that a very good actor will also be good at comedy. That, as a writer and director, you have to sit down with the actor and make him so comfortable that he's able to do comedy.

"Akshay, Salman, Anil, Ajay, Nana Patekar all these are actors who can take a scene to another level. But not every actor has the comic timing. Some try a lot and are even uncomfortable. Comedy isn't easy," he said.

Bazmee was in conversation with journalist Rajeev Masand at the 10th Jagran Film Festival.

The director said his instruction to actors while doing a comedy film is to not be funny at all.

"Be serious. You have to work hard and do comedy when your script isn't good. You've to do buffoonery, pull each other's hair. In 'Welcome', sure there's comedy but inside there's a tragedy.

"A don, who's actually not a bad person, wanted to be an actor but has become a gangster. He's trying to get his sister married to a good family. It's a serious comedy!"

The director is currently gearing up for the release of his next, "Pagalpanti" and will then direct the sequel to the hit horror comedy "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", featuring Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani.

Bazmee said the young actors today are extremely hard working and well prepared.

"They don't come with the thought that we will learn after doing 12-15 films and will have lots of time. They are very prepared. Today you don't even get those many chances. If you're not good, then may be you'll just get one or two films. They are very focused on their work."

Giving an example of how stars like Akshay and Salman have agreed to do his film in under five minutes by just listening to the idea, Bazmee said the young actors are different.

"The change which has come is, they (young actors) now need a complete bound script so that they know what it is and are prepared. Salman, Akshay, Ajay had a different style because of their experience. I had narrated the story of 'Singh is Kinng' to Akshay over call in 5 minutes. Similarly with Salman.

"Their experience of working in so many films gives them an idea of how a story idea of three-minutes can span on screen as a two and a half hour film. Also, today, the young actors do one film at a time with passion and dedication so you've to match upto that as well," he added.