Ranvir Shorey is one of the most popular faces on both the small screen and big screen.

His shows Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge are very popular on the small screen, occupying prime time slots, while his movie performances have been critically acclaimed for his brilliant portrayal of roles as diverse as that of the conman/druggie in Traffic Signal to the aggressive young brother in Khosla Ka Ghosla.

Post his latest film, Aaja Nachle, Ranvir has been a very busy ma. The actor in conversation with TWF correspondent Abdul Moheet.

Firstly, congratulations on your performance in Aaja Nachle. How was it working with a living legend like Madhuri Dixit?
Oh!! I was completely floored from the word go! I was utterly tongue tied, I mean we were all in so much awe of her, we didn't know what to say. But Madhuri is an amazing, amazing human being and I'm not just saying this because I have to be diplomatic, but because she really is.

She charmed the pants off everyone on the sets (not literally) and was completely down to earth. I've known many newcomers who don't even have a hit to their name and they show so many airs, but not Madhuri. Even veterans like Yash Raj swear by her.

So you don't see yourself doing a typical SRK role?
Why should one try to be SRK? We already have a Shah Rukh Khan, we already have an Amitabh Bachchan, so what is the point of emulating them? It is useless.

Actors nowadays try so much to imitate their mentors, by copying their hairstyles and dressing styles, etc, but honestly we don't need anymore Shah Rukhs or Amitabhs because we already have the originals. What we need are better actors.

A lot of times actors play themselves on screen. I feel we need to shift from that trend, and focus on donning different garbs, so to speak. My approach to cinema is different that way.

I like taking up different roles, portraying different characters, getting into their skin. I try and think the way they think, speak the way they would speak, and so on.

Keeping in mind my roots, of how I disliked mainstream cinema, I'm always on the lookout to do something different, take some risks, because quite frankly I'm not the type of person who would feel safe in a rut doing the same thing over and over again. It's just not palatable to me.

2008 seems to be a very busy year for you. Can you tell us something about your upcoming projects?
Well, first off is Mithya, which will be releasing on February 28th, then is I Am Chaubees directed by Sourabh Shukla, then there is Teesri Manzil, Sirrf, Singh is King with Akshay Kumar and Ugly Aur Pagli which is directed by Nikhil Advani. It is a wacked out romantic comedy, low on mush and not something the audiences are used to.

Then there is Chandni Chowk to China again with Akshay Kumar and I am proud to say that I am his new sidekick! We had an absolutely fantastic time shooting in Gold Coast, Australia, and me and Akshay wreaked havoc on the sets with our pranks.

The whole experience was one big party, and even Akshay, who generally sleeps by 10pm used to stay up and party till late nights with us. Vipul Shah is not only an excellent producer, but also one of the best hosts one could have asked for. That month in Australia was one of the most memorable times of my life.

You have acted in a variety of roles, and never let you be stereotyped to a particular role. Why the penchant for offbeat cinema?
Well I grew up as part of a generation that was quite frankly sick of the mainstream cinema of that time. So keeping this in mind, I could never see myself doing something that would come across as 'typically mainstream'.

Can you tell us about your chemistry with Vinay Pathak?
Vinay? Oh we've been friends from the last ten years. We share a very non-intrusive relationship, with clearly demarcated privacy zones. He gives me my space and I give him his, so we basically share that comfort zone.

We've got a lot of common traits, and we've been very supportive of each other throughout, and I think that comfort level at some point translates on screen.

Even when we do our shows, such as Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun, there are no ego hassles, and there is basically a good understanding, so I guess that is why we work together so well.