As People Remember Underrated Gem Asif Basra, Vivek Agnihotri Shares What Bothered Him In Bollywood
It is a tragic loss that the industry won't be able to recover. Asif Basra played a lot of small roles in several popular movies, but they were all memorable. The sad news of his passing has left everyone in shock and grief. As directors who work with him recall how great and intelligent he was,?Vivek Agnihotri, who worked with him in Tashkent Files, recalls what used to bother him in the industry.?
Agnihotri said that during the shooting of Tashkent Files, Basra was bitter about Bollywood.
"Well, I have nothing sensational to reveal here. We simply used to talk about how we don't take good actors seriously in our industry. He used to say yahan ya to phir star hota hai ya everybody else hota hai. Supporting actors are not supported. He had issues about that".
Asif essayed a pivotal role in Tashkent Files wherein he was seen alongside Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborty and Shweta Basu Prasad.
"Stars are allowed to waste money to the tune of 60-70 per cent of a film's budget. Someone should research this and see- so many film with stars in the lead are so pathetic- no content, star kuch bhi bol raha hai, kuch bhi pehan raha hai. And why is this being tolerated? Because people can be fooled with PR campaigns and absolute lies. I have worked with stars who smoke and drink but they paint an image in public that they are teetotallers," he added.?
In another interview, Imtiaz Ali, who directed him in Jab We Met said?he had cast him because he wanted an intelligent actor.
"I remember while making Jab We Met, I wanted an intelligent actor who could convey what I was trying to say and present. I wanted to show two qualities lechery and humour at the same time through that role. I wanted him to be threatening and funny at the same time. So, for the role, I wanted a special actor who had the mind and the skill to perform," he told IANS.
Abhishek Banerjee who had last worked with in Paatal Lok, for which he had cast him in the role of Jai Malik.
"These were my early years in this industry, I had met him (Asif Basra) through my senior Gautam Kishanchandani. He had cast Asif ji in the film 'Black Friday'. And then we cast him in many advertisements, TVCs and recently in 'Paatal Lok'," he said.
? Asif Basra was found dead in a private complex in Dharamshala. As per SSP Kangra Vimukt Ranjan, a forensic team is at the spot and police is investigating the matter.??
