Kunal Nayyar on what he loves about cinema and why he decided to produce a cricket- based documentary
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; October 12, 2014)

He's best known for his comic character Raj Koothrappali in the popular American sitcom The Big Bang Theory (TBBT), but Kunal Nayyar is fast growing out of the stereotype. About to make his big screen debut in a Salman Khan production titled Dr Cabbie, the LA-based actor of Indian origin turned producer as well with a cricket-based documentary titled Beyond All Bondaries. hitlist spoke to the cricket-crazy actor-producer to know more:

Q. How much of a cricket fan are you?
A. I am obsessed with cricket. I played for school growing up, but was never really good enough to compete at a higher level. To be successful in cricket you have to dedicate your life to it. It is tough living in Los Angeles without my daily fix! I have willow cricket on my TV and laptop so I catch most of the big games, but I really missed the boat on IPL. That started after I left India so I feel a slight disconnect with it. I am still a huge fan of old school test cricket and one-dayers.

Q. How was the experience working with director Sushrut Jain?
A. When Sushrut reached out to me through some common friends it was because he wanted me to do the narration for this cricket documentary. He sent me a trailer of the film he had made from the footage he had captured in India. I loved it. I invited him to come over and show me the cut of the film he had at that point. My wife, Neha (Kapur, Miss India 2006) and I both watched it with him and we both loved it. I decided right then that I would do more than just narration, that I would help Sushrut finish this film and join him as a producer.

Q. What made you produce this documentary?
A. Cricket is one of the very few things that unites people in India from all corners of the country, who may otherwise be separated along lines of region, language, caste and class. And the 2011 World Cup of Cricket was a watershed moment in Indian cricket history: to win a World Cup in its most favored sport at home. It’s something most Indians want to cherish and relive. And this amazing documentary allows them as well as me to do just that.

Q. Getting a commercial release for a documentary in India is a big deal given few documentaries get a Friday release. What do you think about this genre?
A. If there were ever a topic for a documentary that would speak strongly to Indian audiences it would be the topic of cricket. I think that if you make an entertaining and moving film, it doesn’t matter what the genre is. At the Mumbai Film Festival last year, audiences gave standing ovations to this film and I think that’s a great sign. I have high expectations to be honest.

Q. Do you see yourself directing a film or a documentary anytime soon?
A. I am open to all kinds of creative ventures. If the right thing comes along and strikes my fancy, I can see myself pursuing it. Right now my focus is on being an actor and doing fun, interesting projects, be it in Hollywood or Indian cinema.

Q. Why do you think actors of Indian-origin tend to play non- Indian characters in American films/ shows — your role in The Big Bang Theory being an exception?
A. I’m not sure. I guess there are a lot of Indians who are into acting and film and television. We have a culture of cinema in our blood so maybe that’s why it’s easier to get Indians to act in different roles than it is to find someone from another part of the world.

Q. How familiar are you with Bollywood?
A. I’m a hardcore Delhiite. I grew up on cricket and Bollywood. Just like anybody who grew up in India, Bollywood runs in my veins. I keep up as much as I can with the current goings on and I would love to work in Bollywood.

Q. Can you share something about your work/experience in Dr Cabbie?
A. I loved the role I played in Dr Cabbie because it is the opposite of what I play on The Big Bang Theory. So it was a fun challenge as an actor. I made a lot of friends working on that film that I think, we’ll remain lifelong pals. That part of my professional life means a lot to me.

Q. Do you visit India often?
A. I visit India every chance I get, at least twice a year.

Kunal Nayyar, of Big Bang Theory fame, comes to the theatres in a few weeks with a documentary on cricket, which re-lives India's 2011 World Cup win
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 8, 2014)

Indians don't care for documentaries. What made you decide to release Cricket World Cup 2011: Beyond All Boundaries on September 26, a week before Haider and Bang Bang?
If there was a topic for a documentary that speaks strongly to an Indian audience, it would be cricket. It is one game that unites people from all corners of the country, who may otherwise be separated along lines of region, language, caste, and class. And the 2011 World Cup was a watershed moment in Indian cricket history. To win in the most favoured sport at home, and to see the the country's most loved sportsman ever, Sachin Tendulkar, to play his last World Cup, is something most Indians would want to relive. We don't have a powerhouse distributor or a huge marketing budget, what we do have is quality and we hope people will spread the word.

Wouldn't it have been better to time it with the upcoming World Cup rather than after a Test series whitewash in England?
India has won the ODI series in England. We can't keep changing our plans according to what is in news today. With the next World Cup coming up in 2015, memories of the previous one will be rekindled. And for a film on cricket, there can be never a wrong time in India.

How did you zero in on these three real life actor-characters?
The director, Sushrut Jain, was searching for people whose stories were both powerful and inspiring. Sudhir Kumar, the super fan who worships Sachin Tendulkar and for 10 lone years cycled to attend all his matches across the country, without any money, was a natural choice. So was Mumbai's cricketing prodigy, Prithvi Shaw. After overcoming various financial challanges, at 15 (when the film was made he was 12) he is a name to reckon with in the Mumbai school cricket circuit. The third one is Akshaya Surve. Shushrut ran into her and a few girls playing cricket in whites at Shivaji Park. He was intrigued. To see audiences at film festivals cheering for her in the film is gratifying as is the fact that she's since played for the Mumbai girls' team.

Are you planning a tie-up with Sachin's biography which will be out in November?
We'd welcome a tie-up. We want Sachin to see the film. All the storylines are connected to him. Sudhir is his super fan, Prithvi has played with his son at MIG and Sachin has supported him, and the World Cup story is all about Sachin.

What are your memories of the 2011 World Cup?
On the big night, I was in Las Vegas shooting a commercial. I found a small British Pub 20 miles outside Vegas and it was screening the match. After the shoot I drove up to it with an Indian flag draped around me, face-timed my parents and my wife in New Delhi, and we all watched the match together, spread across the world. When Dhoni hit the winning six, I ran out onto the streets, crying and waving the flag. People, still in their pajamas, were fetching their morning papers. It was 7am!

How long will you continue playing scientist Rajesh Koothrapalli on the award winning TV show, Big Bang Theory?
The show has reached the stratosphere, there is no stopping in sight. We recently got picked up for three more years. So, we will be on for at least 10 full seasons. It's strange being recognised all over the world. I love meeting fans, but it's still a little odd when people take photos of you while you're at a restaurant.

Any other TV shows?
No, but I'm in talks with people in Bollywood to do a movie in Hindi which I am fluent in.