Barun Sobti: I hate one-tone, intimidating characters

Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; November 25, 2023)

Barun Sobti, who became a household name with the show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, is now enjoying being a part of the OTT space. Talking about the response to his two digital stints, Asur 2 and Kohrra, he says, “It fills me up with joy. Of course, it doesn’t change me as a person. I never waited for any validation. My process of picking up projects still hasn’t changed. Fame is a tricky thing. I deal with it by being in denial. I’m fine without fame. It has never bothered or changed me at all.”

‘I got my first show after Karan Wahi recommended my name’
At the age of 17, Barun started working in a telecom company, while secretly hoping to be an actor. He got the opportunity when his school friend Karan Wahi backed out of a TV show. “Karan was offered a show (Shraddha) and he asked for a certain amount. The makers didn’t have the budget, so they asked for a cheaper version of him. He recommended my name. I sent my pictures, and everything worked out,” Barun recalls.

‘I wanted to move to Australia with my wife’
Barun says he didn’t have to face a lot of struggle at the beginning of his career. “I didn’t even give a lot of auditions. The last show that I auditioned for was IPKKND. I didn’t even want to do the show, as I wanted to move to Australia with my wife,” he reminisces. Eventually, the show’s overnight success led to Barun dropping the idea of moving to another country. He adds, “I started making money and we realised that we could have a good life here.”

‘I was not a good actor when I started my career’
When Barun started his career, he was panned for his acting and was only called a good-looking guy. “I was not a good actor; I would not blame the people who were saying that,” he admits. With his recent performances, life has come full circle. “Looks are something you are gifted with. However, skill set is what can take credit for,” he says.

Averse to kissing on screen?
Interestingly, not many know that Barun has a no-kissing policy, courtesy of his sweet promise to his wife, Pashmeen Manchanda when they were 15. “The first time I told her that I wanted to be an actor, she jokingly said, ‘Now you will kiss every girl’. That’s when I decided I would not kiss on screen. To date, she tells me how stupid I am! There’s no clause as such, and I am not averse to it. If it makes sense and is essential, I will think about it,” he ends.