Why Arshad Warsi Did 'Jaani Dushman', Asked The Director To ‘Kill’ Him First

Rajkumar Kohli’s direction, ‘Jaani Dushman‘, was released in 2002 and earned over Rs 18 crore at the box office. Despite its underwhelming performance, the film gained cult status due to its storyline and graphics. In a recent interview, Arshad Warsi reflected on ‘Jaani Dushman‘, revealing that he took on the role to fund the construction of his house.

During a conversation with Raj Shamani, Warsi was asked if there was any film he regretted working on. He mentioned ‘Jaani Dushman‘, but clarified that working with director Rajkumar Kohli was a privilege. He described Kohli as one of the industry’s finest individuals, making it difficult to refuse his offers.

Warsi admitted, “I have done some films that I am not proud of. One of them is a well-known

film called ‘Jaani Dushman’. Rajkumar Kohli, Armaan Kohli’s father, is one of the best people in the industry. When he called someone for a film, most actors agreed because of his reputation.”

He added, “I was new to the industry then and unaware of his reputation. Maria and I were building a house but ran out of funds after buying it. We gathered money from wherever possible — in fact, the roof of my house was built thanks to Jaani Dushman.”

Warsi praised Kohli for never troubling his actors with shooting schedules or financial issues. He said, “I realised that Rajkumar was a truly wonderful person — completely different from most in the industry. He never caused any payment issues; once he gave you a schedule, he stuck to it. You always received your fee on time, without even asking. That’s why almost everyone worked with him.”

Arshad Warsi revealed that he had asked the director to kill off his character early in the film. He said, “When Rajkumar offered me the role, I told him to kill me first. But he didn’t agree — and Akshay Kumar, meanwhile, refused to die. He kept returning, trying to fit himself into other characters.”