Mumbai, Jan 15 (IANS): Filmmaker Anees Bazmee revealed why he thought of casting Nana Patekar for the role of Uday Shetty in his comedy film "Welcome" knowing the fact that the actor is more popular for his serious roles.

"I have always been a huge Nana Patekar fan, so I used to think that if he ever does comedy, he will ace it and moreover teach an entire generation how to do comedy. When the script was locked, I immediately called him to meet. During the meeting, the first thing that he asked me was to swear on my mother and tell him if this film is right for him. I still convinced him to listen to the script," he said, appearing on "The Kapil Sharma Show" as a celebrity guest.

Anees also recalled: "He (Nana) gave me his undivided attention for 3 hours and I narrated the script. I still remember one thing that he quoted, he said: 'Anees, I am like soft clay on a potter's wheel, you can mould me however you want to". I have heard so many rumours about his bad temper and tantrums but honestly, I did not witness any of those, rather it was a cakewalk working with Nana."

He also further shared how he used to improvise the script on the spot.

Anees is known for his films such as "Hulchul", "Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha", "No Entry", "Singh Is Kinng", and many more. His film "Welcome", released in 2007, was a major success at the box office. Featuring Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal, and Mallika Sherawat in prominent roles, its storyline was loosely based on the 1999 comedy "Mickey Blue Eyes".

The show airs on Sony Entertainment Television.