The Raj Kumar Hirani directed 'Munnabhai MBBS' (2003) and 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' (2006) showed the comic adventures of Munna Bhai or Murli Prasad Sharma, played by Sanjay Dutt, and his sidekick - Circuit or Cirkeshwar - essayed by Arshad.
"When I did 'Munnabhai', for the first six to eight months I did not have any film to do. Nobody offered me a film. So I was wondering if people liked my work, why I don't have a movie in hand. I asked Raju Hirani did I do a good job? He said, I was excellent. Then how come I did not have a film in hand," Arshad told PTI.
However, Arshad insists that 'Munnabhai' series and 'Ishqiya' benefitted him in the sense that he earned respect as an actor.
"Films like 'Ishqiya' brought respect to me but it has not taken me to another level, as an actor yes, but work no. I have been there only. It is not that I was getting something bigger to do, or the roles were fantastic, like getting solo films. So that all did not happen...It was like I am a good actor, that's it," he said.