Please tell me you are not scared of ghosts,” is the first thing Karan Tacker was told before he was offered Bhay: The Gaurav Tiwari Story. The actor, “petrified” of supernatural elements, was about to turn the show down when the makers suggested that he read the material before making up his mind. “I was instantly hooked,” laughs the actor.

The upcoming Amazon MX Player show is based on the true story of Gaurav Tiwari, a paranormal investigator, and his unusual death. Tacker says he found Tiwari fascinating. “Gaurav came from a well-to-do family in Delhi, left his father’s business to pursue acting in Mumbai unsuccessfully and became a pilot eventually. It was when he had an incident [while flying] that his curiosity on the paranormal was piqued,” he shares.

At a time when the industry is going through a slump, Tacker counts himself lucky to have projects lined up, including the web series Special Ops 2, and a film. The actor says his battle is of a different kind.

“To date, I have to keep fighting to prove that I’m not just an actor from television and I have more to offer. It’s sad that TV is looked down upon in the entertainment industry. If I want to do an article, my first insistence to my PR is, ‘Please make sure they don’t write TV actor Karan Tacker’. You don’t write ‘OTT actor Vijay Varma’ or ‘OTT actor Jaideep Ahlawat’. I don’t know why television actors get slotted so terribly. A casting director once told me, ‘I have 40 actors from film families that I need to cast. Where will I put a TV actor?’” 

On Friday, Sana Khaan took to social media to announce that she’s quitting showbiz “to serve humanity and follow the orders of my Creator”. She informed that she did not wish to be contacted for any work related to the entertainment industry. Zaira Wasim had taken a similar decision last year, and, as with her, Sana’s decision comes as a surprise to friends and colleagues.

The actress, who had been a part of the industry since 2005, had featured in films like Jai Ho and Wajah Tum Ho, along with several South films. She’d become very popular after the sixth season of Bigg Boss in 2012, emerging as the second runner up. Rajev Paul, who continued to be friends with her even after the reality show ended, admitted that, like Mirror, he’d been trying to reach her since he’d found out. “I’ve spoken to her mother; her family is standing behind her. Sana’s a sensible girl so it couldn’t have been an overnight decision. I hope she is happy,” asserted the actor, who had spoken to her last just before the Coronavirus lockdown.

Sana, in her statement, said that she’d been pondering existential issues like whether our purpose of coming into the world was to chase wealth and fame, and what happens after we die. She’d come to the realisation that this life is for betterment of life after death through social service. Actress-friend Ridhi Dogra who commended her on the ’gram, saying, “Be blessed today and every day,” also hadn’t spoken to or met Sana in a long time and was as surprised as the rest.

However, Vikram Bhatt, who acted alongside her in a series, Zindabaad, recalled her as someone who’d religiously offer namaaz five times a day. “She was doing charity work for some social institute so this sense of giving back is not new to her,” he reasoned, advising Sana to “never say never”.

Vishal Pandya, who directed her in Wajah Tum Ho, admits that they were in touch, off and on, even after the film, yet they had never discussed the subject of her quitting films. “It’s too personal, no one talks about such things till they are ready. She was always dedicated to her faith,” he shared.

Karan Tacker, who worked opposite her in a recent series, Special Ops, also remembered engaging in a long chat with her on Islamic culture and religion in general while driving to Petra in Jordan. “But she never hinted at the idea of quitting,” he shared.

Actor-choreographer Salman Yusuff Khan, who met Sana during Khatron Ke Khiladi and choreographed some of her Bigg Boss act, shared that she is very close to his wife and stated that the lockdown had given many a new, more humanitarian perspective which came with the realisation that materialistic things are useless. “Doing the right thing in the Islamic way is empowerment,” he maintained, adding that he was also wondering how to give back to society during these difficult times. “The satisfaction it brings is unmatched by any trophy. I fully support her decision and have sent her a message wishing her luck in this new phase.”

Sana was in the news earlier this year following her controversial break up with choreographer Melvin Louis. She had accused him of cheating on her and even shared screenshots of other girls telling her about a similar experience with him. However, now the former actress has deleted all her old Insta posts, including every one of her glamorous photographs and embraced the veil.

Mirror tried to get in touch with Sana but she chose not to answer our calls or text messages.

Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 13, 2020)

Known for his stint as a TV actor and not coming from a film family either, Karan Tacker admits these things become a hurdle in breaking into the Bollywood space.

Since his last daily soap — Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai — went off air in 2013, the actor has mostly done guest appearances and reality shows, till he came back in action with web series Special Ops earlier this year, that got positive response.

“The idea was not to take a break from acting, but focus on working on stories and with better makers. When I stopped taking acting projects on TV, there was no digital platform. And coming from TV, it’s hard to break into films. Getting the opportunity to work with a National award-winning director like Neeraj Pandey (director of the series) therefore took time,” shares Tacker.

Though the actor has no such ‘connections’ in the film industry, he is good friends with filmmaker Karan Johar and fashion designer Manish Malhotra. Asked if knowing them anyhow helped him bag work in Bollywood, and pat comes the reply, “Our friendship is a good bond that I enjoy more than looking at them to get work.” He adds, “It’s nice to know people like them in film fraternity who’re always there to guide you. Also, filmmaking is a business, so whenever things click, we’d collaborate.”

Given that Johar has been facing a lot of flak around the nepotism debate in the film industry, Tacker, 34, opines that nobody should tell a filmmaker who he should cast in his films.

“I don’t know why is anyone answerable to anyone else for professional decisions they’re making. They’re smart people and know what’s better for their business. I don’t have any personal grudge against anyone,” he reasons.

Karan Tacker narrates his 48-hr ordeal, which began with him learning after reaching Delhi for a shoot that a precautionary test done in Mumbai showed him Covid-19 positive; however, two subsequent tests in the Capital were negative
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2020)

Stuck in an unfamiliar city, away from home, Karan Tacker spent 48 sleepless hours following a Coronavirus scare. The actor was in Delhi for an endorsement shoot and had taken a Covid-19 test before flying out as a precautionary measure. “I didn’t want to put anyone in harm’s way,” he reasons. He got the report only after landing in the Capital and to his shock, learnt that he had tested positive.

“We got the report only late in the evening and the staff of the hotel where I was staying, immediately panicked. They called the authorities and I had to be relocated in the middle of the night. The process took almost six hours and I arrived at the isolation facility only at 3 am,” he recounts, upset with the production company which was of little help.

Despite the report, Karan wasn’t convinced as he showed no symptoms. “Also, my test wasn’t taken properly,” he says, explaining that swabs from both nose and throat need to be taken, but the person who came to collect his sample in Mumbai, took only his nose swab. “I kept asking him to take a throat swab too, but he said that what he had was enough.”

Pointing out that in Delhi, one needs a doctor’s prescription to get tested, he grouses that the production company was of no help. “They didn’t even help me find a Covid facility, I had to do everything on my own,” he expresses his disappointment, adding that the responsibility of a cancelled shoot was also weighing heavily on him. “Thankfully, I didn’t crack under the pressure and decided I needed to be sure and got two more tests done in Delhi from two different labs. I also asked my family to get tested in Mumbai and all the results were negative,” he reports.

Karan lashes out at the Mumbai lab for being so careless at such sensitive times. “I am angry and appalled by the faulty test that was the reason for my family going through so much trauma. The BMC was calling my house as also the medical services while the floors were being sanitised. And it was all happening in Mumbai while I was isolated in Delhi. Since I hadn’t met anyone in months except my family and my second result came the same day and was negative, I didn’t want to create unnecessary panic by telling people what had happened. But it was terrible and in the last two days I haven’t slept a wink,” informs the actor, who returned to Mumbai on Friday afternoon, having taken all precautions while travelling, including wearing safety gear and adhering to social distancing norms.

Karan admits that this experience has taught him that hotels and production companies are still not completely ready to deal with the pandemic. “They didn’t even know what protocol is to be followed,” he says, adding that for his coming shoots, he will ask his team to make sure that all mandates are in place before the shoot. Prod him about his future course of action, and he says that since he returned from another city, he has quarantined himself for 14 days. “Also, I am going to get myself tested again in Mumbai in a few days, just to be on the safe side despite the two negative reports,” he signs off.

After over five residents in his Andheri highrise test COVID-19 positive, TV actor Karan Tacker moves to Aamby Valley with parents, sister
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 15, 2020)

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in Mumbai's K (West) Ward, over five residents in Karan Tacker's Andheri building tested positive last week. As a precautionary measure, the actor and his family headed to a villa in Aamby Valley, which is located 120 kilometres away from the city, last Friday.

"After the number of cases in my building shot up, I decided to get out of the city. My parents are old, and I am constantly worried about their health. Fortunately, we are all safe, so far," says the actor. The lack of robust medical facilities in the area may be a concern, but Tacker explains, "Both Aamby and Lonavala have healthcare facilities. In the worst case scenario, we can travel back to the city." The actor says that his sister and he have divided the household chores, and make rounds of the supermarket inside the resort to stock up on essentials.

Tacker was to begin shooting for a web series before the lockdown was announced. With producers resuming TV and OTT shoots, won't he have to return to the sets? "If I am called for shoots, I will move to Mumbai. [Once the shoot is wrapped up] I will self-quarantine in my Mumbai house before heading back to Lonavala. Keeping my family safe is my utmost priority."

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 8, 2020)

Karan Tacker started his career as an actor with the television show, Love Ne Mila Di Jodi in 2009. As he completes 11 years in the entertainment industry, he says that he cannot discount the significance of the television industry in his career. He shares, “A lot of people tell me that it would’ve been great if I didn’t do television. It’s very easy to look at things in hindsight and say that if I didn’t do TV, I would’ve cracked my first film a long time back. But I don’t think I want to change anything. I genuinely believe that your experiences shape your future and mould you.”

Tacker confides that the struggle to prove himself still continues. He elaborates, “When I set out to do something bigger, the constant disregard for being a TV actor was tough to go through. I was constantly pulled down by people who told me that they weren’t very keen on working with actors from the TV industry. We’re made to believe that TV actors cannot pull off roles that are of a certain intensity.”

So what’s the big dream? “Matthew McConaughey who’s done a television series called True Detective ends up winning an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club (2013). That’s the kind of career I hope for. I want to explore all mediums. I want to be part of good scripts. I also hope that after the web series Special Ops, people look at me as a serious actor and not just a good looking guy,” he says.

The actor recently expressed his desire to auction his artwork. Talking about it, he says, “I aspire to be an artiste who can act, paint and sing. While picking up paints and trying my hands at painting, I discovered my love for charcoal sketching. I look at pictures online and replicate them with my twist. It’s a nice way of giving back to society by auctioning my paintings and sketches and raising money in these tough times for anyone in need.”

Karan Tacker has portraits ready for the cause; explains why he almost disappeared from the screen for seven yrs
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 17, 2020)

During the Coronavirus lockdown, actors have showcased newfound skills online. But Karan Tacker chose to keep his to himself. “I have always enjoyed cooking and sketching so, I didn’t need to Instagram my exploits,” he reasons.

Karan likes to draw faces and his latest muse is his building’s security guard. “I have some portraits ready and want to auction them for charity,” informs the actor, who turned 34 on May 11 with a two-day celebration. “We had a champagne brunch and my sister baked a cake.”

It has been seven years since Karan’s last acting gig, Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai (EHMMBH). There were talks of him featuring in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year sequel, but he reappeared in a show recently. Why the long break? “I wanted to do something that would make directors and producers take me seriously and that took a lot of time,” he asserts, adding that hosting came out organically for him as it resonated with his Punjabi personality.

EHMMBH also launched Krystle D’souza, Kushal Tandon and Nia Sharma, all of whom became big names. Does that rankle him? “No, I never felt that I had been left behind. I did not want to do TV anymore, so I wasn’t running in the same race as them,” he avers, adding that he doesn’t see himself returning to the medium.

Often referred to as one of the most good-looking men on TV, Karan confesses that it stops people from seeing beyond one’s looks. His Bollywood debut has been talked about for almost five years now. “It is difficult for an outsider to bag the right project since industry kids are predestined to work in them. You have to be careful with your choices. I’m looking out for a good script and director. Till then, I’m okay if my journey is a little slower,” he says.