StarTalk with Johny Lever
“Astrology is like vidya because it sets out to educate a person about what is going to happen in his life, whether he likes it or not…”
Today Johny Lever is the uncrowned King of Comedy with absolutely no competitor for him. In this free wheeling chat, he tells JYOTHI VENKATESH about what strengthened his belief in astrology though as a Christian he didn’t believe in astrology twenty-eight years ago.
To what extent do you believe in astrology?
I am a staunch Christian and hence I am not supposed to believe in astrology at all. However I wouldn’t hesitate to say that astrology is like vidya (education) because it sets out to educate a person about what is going to happen in his life, whether he likes it or not. I do believe in it because I am of the opinion that it is there.
In what way has astrology helped you as far as your success as an actor is concerned?
Look here. Lets face facts. If your time is bad, your film will not do well. And God forbid if your film does not click at the box office, success will not be yours for the asking. I believe a lot in destiny. Whatever happens is actually ordained by God up there.
To what extent do you attribute truth to predictions about your life?
To tell you the truth, I really never used to believe in astrology at all till 1988, because most of the astrologers who used to saunter on my sets used to predict things in my life but add a foot-note that though they predicted these things, baaki sab ooparwale ki haath mein hain.. However an incident, which happened in London, changed the course of my life and strengthened my belief in astrology.
Did the incident have anything to do with any astrologer? What has your experience been like in that case?
Yes. I am referring to a meeting with an astrologer. My colleague comedian Dinesh Hingoo had taken me for a show in London. The next day after the show, a Gujarathi astrologer, who told me that he had seen the kundalis of various celebrities like Sunil Dutt and Dilip Kumar etc invited all of us to his house and read my kundali. What he predicted about me did happen, though I was skeptical when he told me.
What exactly did the Gujarathi astrologer forecast to you about your life?
I was amused when he told me after looking at my kundali that I had the ‘yog’ for children in my kundali. Because my wife and I used to go to different doctors for consultations because we did not have any child till then, though we were married for almost three years and we desperately yearned for a kid, especially my wife. I didn’t want to discourage the astrologer and hence I didn’t tell him anything, especially because he told me that he didn’t charge a single pound for his predictions.
Did his prediction come true?
It was in March when I was in London that this astrologer had predicted that I had balyog and the day I returned to my house I was told that my wife was in the family way. I was overjoyed and amazed by his predictions. In fact I’d say that it was this particular incident which happened way back almost twenty eight years ago broke the myth that astrology is a frivolous science and strengthened my belief in this supreme power, though I didn’t really believe in astrology till that point of time.The Gujarathi astrologer in London could predict what the doctors told me was in God’s hands.
What have you learnt in this industry?
You tend to finish after some time. It is very necessary to have stamina, because it is one place where you can never say I can’t. Here in this industry you will get frustrated if you do not take your job seriously. Depends upon what your stars foretell, yahan pe har ek ka ek period hota hain .You have got to sit at home at one time or the other and hence be prepared for it too. If I have come in X’s place, then one day some one is bound to replace me and step into my shoes. In this industry if you are a success, you are made God.
Be frank. Did you at any stage dream that you’d reach as a comedian the great height that you have reached today?
To be very frank with you, I didn’t at all think even in my wildest dreams that I’d reach this height. Aadmi halka halka zaroor sochtha to hai. Every one in showbiz wants to reach the top but unfortunately doesn’t. I should thank God that I have been lucky.
To what would you attribute your phenomenal success as a comedian?
Luck and hard work both count. If I have ample talent as an actor but Dame Fortune doesn’t smile at me, I do not think I could have gone ahead as far as my career as a comedian is concerned.
What is necessary for a good comedian to survive in this industry besides luck and talent?
A comedian should see to it that he is fresh and alert on the sets in order to deliver the goods as a comedian with the right punches at the right time. A sense of timing counts a lot. And of course it goes without saying that you should have a terrific wacky sense of humor. And besides luck and talent, you should be also ready to do a lot of hard work.
What is your astro- advice for your fans?
Whenever I manage to get some free time I do manage to catch up with newspapers and read the What Your Stars Foretell column but frankly speaking I do not blindly rely on them to charter the course of my life, because I believe that one should keep astrology as a referring point to guide one’s life but shouldn’t seek it blindly because then there is the danger of one shirking one’s work and becoming complacent.
