Showing posts with label Barun Sobti interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barun Sobti interview. Show all posts
I’m fine without fame, these things don’t bother me-Barun Sobti
9:13 AM
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.
Earlier people only clicked pictures; after Kohrra, they talk to me about the show-Barun Sobti
8:36 AM
The actor, whose latest project Kohrra hit the bullseye, talks about the medium and why he took a pause from work to prep for the digital boom in India
Soumya Vajpayee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 5, 2023)
Barun Sobti entered the digital world with Tanhaiyan in 2017, when “OTT ka culture India mein nahin tha”. Cut to today, the actor has already had three web releases in the year so far, including the recent web series Kohrra. The 38-year-old, who was a known face on television around 2011 and had two cinematic releases, didn’t take much work until Tanhaiyan to prepare for the anticipated OTT boom.
“I didn’t do much work for some time before 2017. When the digital revolution happened in the US, I consumed a lot of content from the West. It was like a training ground for me, as I was certain that a digital revolution would happen in India too,” says the actor. In a chat with us, he opens up about his journey on the digital medium so far. Excerpts:
With back-to-back releases, 2023 has turned out great for you. Did you expect this?
I shot for five projects in two years. At one point, I was shooting for three shows simultaneously. So yes, I knew I’d have a flurry of projects coming out one after the other. I also knew that Asur 2, Badtameez Dil and Kohrra would do well.
The roles you’ve played have been quite diverse. Tell us about the prep involved.
Asur 2 felt like homecoming because I had already got into the skin of the character in the first season. Whereas, for Badtameez Dil, I did workshops, as the character was quite layered. But the preparation for Kohrra was most extensive. I did a lot of workshops in Punjab to get into the skin of my character [a cop], Amarpal Garundi.
Is there a lot of scope for characters to grow on the digital medium?
Aisa nahin hai ki OTT projects ko shoot karne ke liye aapko bahut time milta hai. The first scene that you shoot may not be the first scene of the show. So you have to dive in immediately. The great thing about web is that it gives the characters time to be etched out well in terms of writing. As an actor, if you know how the character is shaping up at the very outset, you put your heart into it.
What do you think about the growth of OTT in India?
We have just started understanding the value of the long format content. As an actor, you don’t feel the monotony as you get to do five different kinds of projects over two years. Also, the writers get so much time to write. For instance, writer Gunjit Chopra researched for Kohrra in Punjab for so long that whenever I asked him a question about my character, I got such valid answers that I didn’t have to go back to him with more queries.
Of late, some actors have expressed concerns about star culture taking over the web space too. What do you feel about it?
If a performance is good, it’s impossible for it to go unnoticed. As far as stars exploring the medium is concerned, the way audiences embrace a show plays a huge role. Like in my case, ever since the release of Kohrra, people who usually [just] clicked pictures with me, have started talking to me about the show. I feel this kind of appreciation makes everyone want to explore the medium.
Everyone is saying that Asur has done great, but I feel it is underrated-Barun Sobti
8:21 AM
Even as the second season of Asur wins praise, Barun Sobti on its “phenomenal writing” and his understanding of karma
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 6, 2023)
You won’t see too much of Barun Sobti on screen, and he likes it that way. After he shot to fame with his television show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, the actor didn’t go on a signing spree, instead choosing his projects carefully. He is playing by his own rules in digital entertainment too. Sobti reprised his role of Nikhil Nair in the second season of Jio Cinema’s Asur. In conversation with mid-day, he talks about being off the radar, the mythology thriller’s popularity, and his belief in karma.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
Did things change for you after the first instalment’s success?
Not really. People took notice of me and said, ‘You can act’. But it wasn’t as if I got any phenomenal roles after that. That could also be because I am spoilt for choice, and only pick up roles that I want to do. The only show that I would credit for putting me on the map is Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. [After Asur], I was in the audience’s mind, but I was not offered mind-blowing roles. At the same time, itna mind-blowing kaam hota bhi nahin hai apne desh mein [laughs]. I am happy with how my career has shaped up, but I don’t know if it has happened because of Asur.
What did you think of the second season?
My wife and I watched it in two days straight. It’s so far ahead of the first season. I’d be lying if I said I was not looking at myself critically. If I see a series where I am good and everything else is bad, I will call [it out]. Conversely, if I were to see a show where I have not been good, but everybody else is phenomenal, I’d call that out too. With respect to Asur 2, everything was excellent.
What was your wife Pashmeen Manchanda’s reaction?
She is an influential person in my life. When she backs what I am thinking, it solidifies my [stance]. She instantly liked [the show] too.
The bathtub scene is among the most hard-hitting in the series. How did you go about it?
I read the whole script, then I prepare myself according to how I am placed in a [particular scene], and determine my road map. My character Nikhil Nair starts the second season with a lot of guilt. He is also the kind who doesn’t indulge much in vanity. He is focused on saving the world. That is why he sacrifices his daughter [in the previous season]. The show is about a national crisis more than how a family is affected by the [death of a child]. The bathtub sequence was consuming. I have a daughter, so [it helped me understand the nuances of the scene].
Asur stands out as much for its writing as for its performances.
Gaurav Shukla is a phenomenal writer. The scale in the first season was much lower; the genius of the writing was that it could accommodate the [low] budget. In the second season, the show became quite big and could go anywhere. So, one could make a lot of mistakes too. Gaurav upgraded [the show] to [tackle] a bigger problem, instead of writing himself into a corner. I am not a big fan of [mythology], but it’s remarkable how Gaurav aligned it all together. Everyone is saying that Asur has done great, but I feel it is underrated.
Do you believe in karma?
I believe in time. I was taught in childhood, ‘Neki kar, dariya mein daal.’ That’s where I stand. I think people who believe in karma are the ones who are waiting for good things to happen to them because they did good.
What’s next?
I have three shows coming back-to-back — a romantic comedy called Badtameez Dil on Amazon miniTV, a crime thriller called Kohrra on Netflix, and a coming-of-drama Bawandar.
Majority of actors are busy building their image rather than working on their craft-Barun Sobti
8:07 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 18, 2021)
With two web projects, Asur and Halahal, last year, Barun Sobti was noticed by “the mainstream industry”, but his transition to films wasn’t smooth. After gaining popularity with TV show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? in 2011, his Main Aur Mr. Riight (2014), Tu Hai Mera Sunday (2017) and 22 Yards (2019) were stuck for the longest time.
Talking about his experience, Sobti says, “I won’t say I am a victim of the industry… Here, you have to dig your well every day. In fact, today I have a lot of work but it is still not easy... just that today my set of problems are different.”
His chocolate boy image got a total makeover with his web roles last year. “Image matters a lot, and majority of actors are busy building their image rather than working on their craft… these are sensible people, who know how the industry functions. And, at the same time, there [are those who] see potential in an actor beyond their looks or their image. That’s how I was cast in Asur and Halahal,” he explains.
Sobti, 36, admits there was a lot of resistance while casting him in Asur and Halahal, but producers Tanveer Bookwala and Zeishan Quadri were sure about him. “Their confidence gave me confidence… I am thankful to them that they pushed for me. They are visionaries,” he says.
I felt envious, and kept wondering why I couldn't write something like Asur-Barun Sobti
8:44 AM
Dividing his time between acting and writing, Barun Sobti discusses facing the camera for his latest release, Asur
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; March 31, 2020)
Asur, which recently dropped on Voot Select, is winning praise. Barun Sobti, known as the heartthrob of Indian television, is glad that his gamble with the mythological thriller has paid off. A writer in the making, Sobti insists that he recognised the merit of the story in the first narration itself. Edited excerpts from the interview.
Mythological thrillers are rare to come by. Is that what made you greenlight Asur?
The producer [Shashi Shekhar Vempati], who is a good friend, called and told me that he has a kick**s show. I didn't [pay heed to] it as everyone raves about their own projects. The eight-episode series talks about an era that is mythologically influenced. [At the start of the narration] I realised that the subject [serial killer] is unique, but I feared that they won't delve deep into it and will only operate at the surface. However, I was blown away with the narration of the first episode. I felt envious, and kept wondering why I couldn't write something like this.
You play a socially awkward but efficient forensic expert in the show.
My character Nikhil has a weird fetish to solve murders. In a scene, his wife tells him that he likes being around dead bodies. He is a highly intelligent person whose mind is constantly working.
Your Bollywood releases did not meet expectations. What do you think is the industry's perception of you?
I don't think anyone has a perception about me. I believe I am not [restricted to] only one industry; I [don't want to be bracketed as] film actor or television actor. I only look at the content irrespective of the medium. The industry's perception does not change anything.
Doesn't it affect the kind of offers you get?
I don't think perception does that; only reality can change that. Perceptions are usually misleading. Even if someone cast me assuming [a stereotype] and I perform inadequately, I will not get cast again. So, only my work on the set will speak for me.
When choosing projects, you seem to be steering clear of romance dramas even though your fans love to see you in them. Why?
There is no hard and fast rule. I have even written a romantic drama. That said, I am exploring other aspects of romance. I have grown up, and with time, my thought process has evolved. My experiences have proved that love is a million things and romance is not the only form of love. So, [that understanding reflects] in my shows.
You divide your time between acting and writing. How did you begin writing?
My wife [Pashmeen Manchanda] pointed out to me that I seem to have an issue with every script that comes my way. She suggested I write something that I see myself doing. Writing has been a passion since school. Back then, I used to write poems. Now, I have developed a script that a friend will be producing.
You are now a parent to a beautiful daughter, Sifat. How has the learning been?
I am spending time with my eight-month-old daughter. People say I am an obsessive parent, but then again, I love her too much.
It’s not possible to predict TRPs every week-Barun Sobti
7:41 AM
Barun Sobti on keeping social media at an arm’s length and how his daily soap does not pander to ratings
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2017)
Barun Sobti is one of the most popular actors on TV at the moment and he knows it, even if he actively abstains from the social media. “I am not active on social media. I only have a Twitter account but I don’t read all reactions and comments from fans,” the actor says, quick to add that he does, however, keep track of his show’s (Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2) popularity graph.
The 33-year-old actor is also gearing up for a big screen outing with the film Tu Hai Mera Sunday soon, that narrates the story of five friends and their quest for a football-friendly space in Mumbai. “I love playing all kinds of sports, especially football and cricket, basketball is the only one I am not good at. For this film, we trained under Dinesh Nair of the Mumbai Football Club. I would look forward to the training. It didn’t feel like a shoot. We shot the film in Mumbai and Goa,” Barun says, adding that his co-star Shahana Goswami’s infectious laughter on the sets tops his list of memorable takeaways from the film’s shoot.
And while he has little to no time to watch TV shows as he goes about shooting for his own and promoting the film, Barun admits that he loves the American thriller Fargo. “I don’t watch it anymore though. Friends, Orange is the New Black, The Good Wife are among my other favourites,” he offers. Recently, there were rumours of his show changing narrative tracks for want of better TRPs. Barun denies it, arguing, “It’s not possible to predict TRPs every week. Yes, the story is impacted from week to week but the larger storyline remains the same.”
The happy misfits: Shahana Goswami and Barun Sobti aren't 'Bollywood material'
1:51 PM
Actors Shahana Goswami and Barun Sobti, co-actors in a film that discusses Mumbai's lack of public space, say they are not Bollywood material (and it hardly matters)
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; October 16, 2016)
"I don't want to do Bollywood," Rock On actress Shahana Goswami says emphatically. Her smile reflects the happiness behind her decision. "Once you make up your mind about what kind of movies you want to do, what work interests you, you are going to find it hard to bag work you like anyway," pipes in actor Barun Sobti, 30, who got famous as Arnav Raizada in the romantic television show, Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon.
We meet at a Bandra café right before the two take off to London. Goswami is in Mumbai to shoot a bit role in Rock On!! 2, before watching how the audience receives their indie film Tu Hai Mera Sunday at the BFI London Film Festival. In it, Sobti plays a football lover struggling to find space to kick ball every weekend. Goswami's character is the daughter of an old man who becomes a part of this bunch inadvertently.
After London, Mumbai will get to watch it at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Over coffee, the talk centres around why it's significant to take on a tiny indie film that discusses the lack of public spaces in Mumbai over a mega- commercial movie. "It's not about people, this movie; it's about Mumbai. There is this amazing scene where two kids play badminton using a parked car as net. Milind (Dhaimade, the director) has portrayed the city's everyday life so beautifully. That we can discuss this through our movie makes it great."
For the actress, who now lives in Paris as "life is better there", the charm of independent cinema lies in that an actor can be himself, and not change anything. "When we started prepping [for Tu Hai…], we thought, let's go to the gym, let's groom ourselves. But Milind said, 'don't you dare! I have cast you for who you are, the personalities you are'. So, in the movie, I talk exactly the way I, Shahana does. I talk in Hindi, I talk in English," she shares, gesturing to Sobti, "I was surprised when he cast this one, though! Popular TV star! Kyun, bhai?" Sobti is unperturbed. "Of course, they must have thought I can't act. I haven't done any work in a while. So, this movie is important for me. I'm certain people will read this and think, oh! Isko kaam nahin mila…" he laughs, hinting at the way indie cinema actors are perceived.
Goswami says she is trying to build a career in Paris. "If I need to do that, I can't keep coming back. I need to be there, available for work. So unless a movie like this crops up, I am pretty much out of the mainstream."
Sobti, on the other hand, is prepping for another TV show, one that he insists isn't "that mainstream". But it is a romantic one. "Of course, he will always be the romantic hero," Goswami takes a jibe. Curious about the web format, he hopes he can cultivate a standing there because it may allow him space to be more than the typical romantic. "I don't want to limit myself. I can do web, movies and TV. We, as makers, have to find a way to deliver smart stuff to the audience. If they get used to quality content, they will crave it. That's our responsibility, isn't it?"
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