Nikita Deb (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 16, 2020)

Like many in the industry, actor Namit Das, too, was itching to go back to work for the last six months. And now, the actor has started shooting for a web film in Nashik. He says that although, there is a lot of fear of the Coronavirus, he’s stepping out because he has to work. “I am not partying. It’s not like I am out there shaking my legs with 150 other people. In fact, my wife (Shruti Vyas) has also started shooting in Kolkata, and we both avoid meeting our parents because they are more vulnerable. One is apprehensive, but one has to move on. It’s been six months,” the 36-year-old exclaims.

But lately, even though Bollywood is trying to get back on its feet, there are reports about drug abuse and the toxic work culture in the industry, which has taken centre stage. Das feels that not everybody in the industry consumes drugs and this is just a generalisation. “Generalisation can lead to the death of anything and anyone. Putting everything under one umbrella is easy. Human beings exist in the society in different professions and we are far more complex. If someone is consuming drugs, you can’t say everyone does it. I don’t know why we are suddenly being looked at ki hum log toh aise hi hai. Every individual is different, and that is what I don’t agree with in today’s world, that negativity catches on much faster than positivity,” says the Arya actor.

Das is also a singer and he used the lockdown period to make some covers along with his band. “My lead guitarist told me ‘let’s do something fun’. So, our bass guitarist, who is in Virar, our drummer, who is in Vancouver, our saxophone player, who is in Ahmedabad, all worked remotely to make some Bollywood covers including songs like Badan Pe Sitare. We call it the Virar to Vancouver project,” says Das with a laugh.

The two actors talk about their real-life equation
Akash Wadhwa (BOMBAY TIMES; September 13, 2020)

Not many know that actors Sumeet Vyas and Namit Das are not just friends, they are saala and jeeja, too. The two were close buddies before Namit married Sumeet’s sister, Shruti Vyas. In an exclusive conversation with us, they talk about how their dosti has matured over the years. Excerpts...

You began as friends, and now, you share a jeeja-saala relationship. Has your bond changed over the years?
Namit: Well, the bond between us is not like that of a regular saala and jeejaji. We are friends first and family members later. I was friends with Sumeet before I started dating his sister (Shruti).
Sumeet: True, we became friends when we were doing a play together. Namit is also like a son to my parents. In fact, my dad is closer to him than me. More so, because they share the same interest — astrology. Not many people know that Namit has studied astrology and whenever our families meet, he and my dad sit in a corner and talk about the planets and their movements, which none of us are able to understand. And yes, I always seek Namit’s advice in astrology if things are not going great in my life.

Sumeet, did Namit tell you that he was dating your sister?
Sumeet: It was a weird night when Namit broke the news. We were sitting together with another friend of ours, when he told me that he is dating Shruti and that they are serious about the relationship. What they didn’t know then was that I already had an idea about it.
Namit: I didn’t know that he was aware of our relationship. I did not start dating Shruti when I first met her through Sumeet at their house. It was later, in a separate set of events, that we started going out. After 15 days, I told Sumeet that I was dating his sister and was serious about it. He was like my elder brother and a good friend, and he understood the situation.
Sumeet: But let me admit it, I was really scared that night; a lot was going on in my mind — questions like what will happen if things don’t work out between them. But thankfully, all is well.

Are you both critical about each other’s work?
Namit: Absolutely, there is no sugar-coating in our relationship. We are really critical of each other’s work.
Sumeet: We discuss a lot of our work with each other. Namit is also a good singer and I am a great listener. So, whenever he composes something new, he always sends me the scratch first.

Being in the same industry, the two of you haven’t really worked together…
Namit: We have worked together, but that was a long time ago, in a small music video directed by me. I was looking for a ‘sundar ladka’ for my music video, so I requested Sumeet to act in it, which he readily agreed, free of cost (laughs!).
Sumeet: These things happen when they have to. I don’t like mixing work and personal life. I think if we work with each other, things will get messy, and I don’t want that to happen!