If anyone can slip into the skin of Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, or even Gulzar saab with uncanny ease, it is Sunil Grover. His razor-sharp impersonations routinely set the internet buzzing, and his take on Aamir Khan drew praise from the actor himself. In this conversation, Sunil reflects on craft, pressure, admiration and the slow burn of stardom.

Asked about his ability to capture voices and mannerisms, Sunil admits he does not fully understand how it happens. He says, “It just happens. Hum toh karte rehte hain aur kayi baar cheezein click kar jaati hain. It’s instinctive. I see it as a gift, and I try to preserve and nurture it. Even I surprise myself sometimes and think, ‘Did I really do that?’ Sometimes it doesn’t land, but that’s part of the journey. Jab nahi hota, tab samajh lena chahiye ki abhi taiyaari chal rahi hai.”

Despite bringing so many characters to life, he acknowledges that the nervousness never disappears. He says, “It’s not just butterflies in the stomach; sometimes it feels like huge birds are flying inside! Pressure should only be to the extent that it helps you give your best. If you take too much pressure, you won’t perform well. Our job is to enjoy what we do. The only real pressure is when there is no work.”

Sunil remembers hesitating before performing one of his most talked-about acts. He says, “There was an impersonation of Gulzar saab. I kept wondering at night whether I should attempt it and how it would be received. He is such a respected and celebrated poet and writer. Presenting him in a comic light had to be done carefully, especially since we were blending humour with reverence.”

His recent impersonation of Aamir became a talking point when the actor himself called it fantastic and said he laughed the loudest while watching it. Sunil describes that appreciation as deeply affirming. He shares, “When appreciation comes from someone like Aamir Khan, whom I admire, it feels deeply rewarding. I respect his passion for his craft and the love he has for his work.”

For Sunil, however, it is never about fame. He says, “Stardom bohot achhi cheez hai aur popularity mil jaati hai, par main unki skills ka fan hoon. Mujhe artiste ki art intimidate karti hai, their approach to art, their talent and what they do with it. That amazes me more than a person’s popularity. Stardom doesn’t make any difference to me.”

His journey began early. Sunil recalls, “I was in class six when I first impersonated veteran actor Rajendra Nath. He remains my favourite. Watching him brought me immense joy. Of course, I was copying teachers and relatives. That’s how it all began.”

Did that lay the foundation for his comedy? He reflects, “Kayi baar aap woh karne lagte ho jisme log aapko pasand karte hain. I didn’t know people would enjoy my impersonations. There was a phase of Gutthi and Mashoor Gulati. Abhi impersonation ka phase chal raha hai, toh dekhte hain kab tak uska maza le sakte hain. Kabhi kabhi darr bhi hota hai ki audience ko achha lagega ki nahi.”

In an era where celebrities are protective of their personality rights, Sunil takes a light-hearted view. “Jis kaam ko main kar raha hoon, main chahta hoon koi rokk na lagaye,” he jokes, adding, “A colleague once suggested that I secure my personality rights. I told him, ‘Main khud doosron ki copy kar raha hoon, tu mujhe kya bol raha hai personality rights ka. Main kisi ko kaise rokunga?’”

For him, impersonation is rooted in admiration. “Unless I genuinely like someone, I cannot impersonate them. There has to be something distinct about them that fascinates me. I must enjoy the process of becoming them. I don’t see it as mere mimicry. It’s a celebration of people,” he emphasizes.

The internet often calls him ‘exceptional’, compares him to a chameleon and describes him as someone who redefined the word behroopiya. Ask him about his stardom and he laughs, “Yeh itna dheere dheere hua hai ki mujhe pata hi nahi chala. When it comes to popularity and its ups and downs, I relate to Sahir Ludhianvi’s line, ‘Main pal do pal ka shaayar hoon’. It sums it up. Although it reflects reality, woh reality sunn kar aap kaam nahi kar sakte.”

He adds, “I feel fortunate and grateful for all this love. Sometimes I wonder whether I deserve it. The joy lies in seeing something you once enjoyed privately beginning to resonate with others. When people connect with it, that makes me truly happy. I’m simply grateful and hope to continue doing what I love.”

Days after the Bombay High Court granted ad-interim relief to actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha by restraining certain websites, social media accounts, AI-linked entities, and others from misusing and exploiting his personality rights, his lawyer explains what the order entails and why it was necessary.

“Various forms of illegal exploitation of his persona were being done for commercial gain. This included merchandise being sold on online platforms without his permission, such as mugs, fridge magnets, etc. People were making money out of it.”

Hiren Kamod, counsel and IP expert, Bombay HC, tells us. He adds, “There were a lot of fake profiles in his name. The third infringement was distorting his pictures to make GIFs and memes. There was also pornographic material on which his face was morphed. We wanted to curtail this rampant usage.”

However, this order does not stop comics from mimicking Shatrughan and his iconic dialogue, ‘Khamosh’. Kamod explains, “If Sunil Grover or any comedian wants to imitate him, there can’t be any injunction against them; there is no commercial exploitation. What you can’t do is sell any product with the actor’s name or mannerisms like ‘Khamosh’. None of the personality rights protection orders can stop any actors from impersonating/mimicking artistes.”

At a time when actors such as Kajol, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan, among others, are increasingly moving court to safeguard their personality rights, Sunil Grover has a clear take. The actor-comedian, who is known for mimicking several celebrities, believes mimicry, when done right, is a celebration, not a violation.

The 48-year-old shares, “When I impersonate them, it’s a tribute and is not meant to make fun in any way. I understand the problem when someone misuses it to endorse a brand or a thought which the artiste doesn’t want. But these personalities have become so big ke ab wo public ke bhi ho gaye hain and we celebrate them.”

The comedian reveals that his latest act, a mimicry of Aamir Khan on The Great Indian Kapil Show, had received praise from the actor himself, who called it “priceless” and “authentic.” Sunil recalls the experience fondly: “It felt good. People even referred to me as ‘Aamir sir.’ I am a big fan of Aamir and his work, and it’s his greatness that he also took it all in zest.”

While he advocates for such acts to continue as a form of celebration, Sunil draws a clear line at offensive humour. He says, “I don’t support below-the-belt and offensive jokes. I don’t like to talk about their personal lives too. Jo garima mein hai, wo theek hai; hum koshish karte hain ki uske paar na jaye.”

On a lighter note, he shares, “One of my friends told me that I should get an order for my personality rights and I told him, ‘Sharam nahin aati hai. Main duniya bhar ke logon ki nakal kar raha hun aur tu mujhe bol raha hai.’”

Announce a Salman Khan concert, and his fans make a beeline to see him in action. This time, the superstar’s admirers have even more reason to be excited about his upcoming show. Khan will be joined by Madhuri Dixit-Nene as they headline The Bollywood Big One shows that are scheduled to take place in the UK. It will be held at the Wembley Stadium in London on May 4, and at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester on May 5. Performances by Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Sara Ali Khan, Disha Patani, Sunil Grover and Maniesh Paul are also part of the line-up.

The shows promise to be a trip down memory lane as Khan and Dixit—last seen on screen in Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002)—will perform to hit numbers from their ’90s offerings. A source says, “They will groove to their chartbusters from Saajan [1991], Dil Tera Aashiq [1993], Hum Aapke Hai Koun [1994], and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.”

It turns out their recent recreation of a scene from Hum Aapke Hain Koun on Bigg Boss 17 sparked the idea for the stage show. “In January 2024, Madhuri was a guest on the Salman-hosted Bigg Boss 17 finale. There, the two recreated a romantic scene from Hum Aapke Hain Koun. They have always had great chemistry on screen, and seeing the love pouring in from the audience for the episode, the organisers decided to rope them in.”

The Bollywood Big One shows were originally scheduled for 2023, but were postponed because of logistical issues in the aftermath of the pandemic. The source adds, “Varun, who is currently shooting for Border 2, plans to complete his portions by April and fly out for the show in May.”

Days after mid-day had reported that Salman Khan was set to pursue his film commitments despite repeated threats to his life (Bhaijaan Won’t Be Bogged Down, October 17) comes news that the actor has taken on yet another project. Two years after he set off to Dubai for a tour with the top female stars of Bollywood, Khan is set to return to the country as part of a Middle Eastern tour. His first global performance on the international stage in the aftermath of fresh threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi will commence with an act on December 7. Actors, including Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonakshi Sinha, Aastha Gill, Prabhudheva, Disha Patani, Maniesh Paul, and Sunil Grover, among others, will be part of this edition of Da-bangg: The Tour Reloaded.

Asserting that Khan wasn’t apprehensive about giving his nod to the international trip, his manager Jordy Patel—who also serves as the show’s organizer, along with Sohail Khan and Adil Jagmagia—says, “Security is arranged well by the Dubai police, and [in] crowded [areas] too. The cops take care of that. We will travel with our own security. Personnel will be appointed for each artiste, including Salman. He has been keeping up with all his professional commitments, and when we approached him for the show, he immediately agreed to be part of it. For Salman, the show must always go on. He has to keep shooting because he is committed to his work.”

In keeping with his past performances on the tour, Khan’s four-hour set is expected to have a blend of music, comic acts, and dance performances. The first act will be held at the Dubai Harbour Experience, which has a capacity of 25,000 viewers, with another show scheduled at Jeddah, where Khan is expected to perform to a 70,000-strong crowd.

“This edition will mark the third show of Da-Bangg in Dubai, and will be held at a beautiful outdoor venue overlooking the Dubai skyline. Only premiere international shows happen here, and an Indian concert like ours will take place here for the first time. While the Middle Eastern tour kicks off in Dubai, we will also announce shows in Qatar, Bahrain, and Doha, when we have the dates of the other artistes. We are trying to cover all the cities in the Middle East,” he says, adding that with 40 shows behind them, the team attempts to match international acts while delivering every new performance. 

“Apart from paying attention to the visuals, sounds, and graphics, we keep changing the line-up of artistes so that Salman [performs] with someone new every time. We plan to add more shows in London and the USA in May and June next year,” he says, adding that tickets for the shows are already on sale.

Considering the multiple projects he has in his kitty, Khan, however, will need to deftly fill his date diary. The preferred days by the international organizers, says Patel, are Fridays, when the actor is required in Mumbai to shoot for the ongoing reality TV show, Bigg Boss.

“On December 7, he will not shoot for the reality show. But, on other days, he will go back and forth, and be part of the tour as well as Bigg Boss.”

The combination of thrill and humour was intriguing enough for Sunil Grover to sign Blackout, directed by Devang Shashin Bhavsar. Sharing screen space with Vikrant Massey was a bonus. Grover says that he learnt more than a few things while performing with the actor.

“Vikrant was simultaneously shooting for another project. Yet, he was fresh on set. Also, he was very sure of what he was doing. I liked that about him. I also saw a sense of detachment in him—after he had performed a scene, he’d switch off, and then was back in the mood as we started another scene,” he says.

The comedy thriller, which plays out over one night, is Grover’s first Hindi film release since the Shah Rukh Khan-led blockbuster, Jawan (2023). The actor, who burst on the scene with his Gutthi act, says the Atlee-directed action fare has taken his career in a new direction.

“I was surprised with the way my negative character was received in Jawan. Since then, people have started looking at me differently,” he says, adding that he is happy to go beyond the image of a funnyman.

“Now, I am getting offers that challenge me as an actor. I want to be a part of stories where my character has his own journey.”

There are bound to be jitters when it’s your first film. But for debutant director Devang Bhavsar, it has also been accompanied by a year-long wait. With Blackout slated to drop on Jio Cinema this week, Bhavsar says, “It has been a long wait to release the film. The nature of this industry keeps changing. Sometimes, a direct-to-web release is the norm, and at other times, a theatrical release before OTT is expected.”

Regardless of the medium, he is eager to see Blackout reach the audience. The comedy thriller—starring Vikrant Massey, Mouni Roy and Sunil Grover—follows the protagonist as he chances upon a car loaded with gold and cash, thus setting off a chain of events. For the director, who made his way into films through ads and production, it’s a big moment.

“I have been working for 13 years. It wasn’t easy getting to this point. I’m lucky that I got amazing actors like Vikrant sir and Sunil sir. After Vikrant sir read the script, he encouraged us to do multiple readings to crack the character’s tone. Sunil sir is an improvisation king.”

Blackout marks Massey’s first release after the stupendous success of 12th Fail (2023) that turned his career around. Does the director feel the pressure of coming on the back of last year’s gem?

“It is a big deal. In whatever way the stars have aligned, it will benefit this film. Vikrant sir is an even more known face now. People now see him as Vikrant bhaiyya. There is a little pressure to live up to that movie. But my film is a different world altogether. I also believe that a film needs to be entertaining regardless of the genre. When Vikrant sir first saw the [rushes], he said, ‘You promised me an entertaining film, and you have delivered.” The jitters are natural, but I’m confident that people will enjoy it.”

It’s interesting that Bhavsar’s comedy thriller arrives when a heist comedy like Crew and a laugh-riot like Madgaon Express are faring well.

“I hadn’t even thought of that when I wrote the film. It was a balanced story on paper. But my actors made it more of a comedy than a thriller. Humans are grey, and their decisions and reactions are comical. The films that have repeat value are always those that make you laugh.”

Adah Sharma had a great 2023 with The Kerala Story being one of the most talked about films that got the cash registers ringing at the box office. And the actor is in no mood to slow down. We’ve exclusively learnt that she has joined the cast of the comedy thriller Sunflower for its second season and is “thrilled” to come on board.

“Stepping into this universe was both a privilege and a challenge. I can’t wait for everyone to see my character. She is very creepy and unique. You will love her in one minute and be very afraid of her in the next. She’s unpredictable,” says the 31-year-old, who plays the lead opposite actor Sunil Grover in the Vikas Bahl directorial, which is set to release next month.

Ask what intrigued her about the script and she says, “I have already done drama with The Kerala Story and action with the Commando franchise, so I thought I should try my hand at comedy. I speak in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and English in the show, and I am hoping the audience will have a lot of fun.”

There are a lot of high expectations riding on sequels and subsequent seasons but Sharma enjoys it: “The audience has been kind to me since my debut. I feel expectation pushes one to not be mediocre. The show’s characters are so layered that it was very exciting for me to unleash my inner crazy.”

Sharma is also grateful for the opportunity to share screen space with a bunch of talented actors. Calling Grover “exceptional at comedy,” she reveals that she has “some hilarious scenes with (actors) Ashish Vidyarthi sir, Ranvir Shorey, Girish Kulkarni, a teddy bear and a sledgehammer.”

Anil Grover probably echoes the thought of many aspiring actors when he says, “I was willing to stand in a corner in a Shah Rukh Khan film.” But the actor was firmly in the spotlight, as he portrayed one of the key characters in the Khan-led Dunki. Grover plays Balli, a tailor’s son in Punjab, who aspires to head to England in the hope of a brighter future, in Rajkumar Hirani’s latest directorial venture.

He shares, “We worked on the film for two years. I found similarities between Balli and me, starting with the small-town-boy vibe. Like him, I have been everywhere and yet belong nowhere. I’ve lived in Delhi, Chandigarh, and now Mumbai. I researched a lot to create a back-story, and the director gave me liberty to run with the story. I never went to a film school, and the Raju Hirani movie was an institute of filmmaking.”

What helped the actor was having fabulous co-stars in Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal and Vikram Kochhar. “Vicky paaji was a gem to work with, and Taapsee made me feel so comfortable on set. I never worried that I won’t shine. It was a film that I learnt from.”

His actor-brother Sunil Grover was another source of support. “My brother has done so well, but he never stops working hard. He is my guiding light. Every time I get stuck, he pushes me to try again.”

Four days into Dunki’s release, Grover laughs that he is “underslept, overfed and happier than ever”. His biggest joy—working with the superstar. “I have grown up on stories of conquerors, but there isn’t anyone who loves and conquers like Mr Khan.”

A quick look at Sunil Grover’s social media handle and you will notice the actor-comedian’s penchant for posting quirky videos. From a video of washing clothes on the roadside to casually styling a man’s hair at a local barber shop - the actor’s videos are mostly ‘simple’, often bizarre, but always find a connect with the common man. Sunil says he posts these videos not to make a statement or send out a message, but simply because he enjoys doing these things.

The actor says, “I am a simple man at heart and during my childhood days, I loved travelling. I would enjoy stepping into small shops and indulging in these simple pleasures. I don’t want to sound pompous or criticize what people are sharing on social media, but I feel that children today are enamoured by materialistic things. Once I recall how a friend’s 12-year-old daughter wanted a bag that she saw an actress carrying on social media. There is no harm in it, but I feel that life should be about appreciating simple things, too. Posting these videos is a glimpse of what I love doing in my spare time.”

The actor has kept away from TV for some time now. “I was busy doing web shows and films, but I love the television medium, it is wonderful. Even today, if someone offers me a good project on TV, or asks me to act like a woman, I will do it. I have played a woman so many times on shows, and I still enjoy wearing a saree and entertaining the audience. I will never get bored of wearing a saree,” he says.

I had gone to Karjat and on my way back, I washed my clothes at a roadside water pump. I enjoy the feeling of washing clothes with my hands and the sensation of water splashing on my face. I like interacting with locals when I travel.

Last month, comedian-actor Sunil Grover shared on Instagram a video of him sitting in the midst of vegetable vendors, selling garlic. Explaining Grover says: “I feel good looking at life from their perspective. Someday, I want to open all these shops and do all kinds of things.”

The 42-year-old adds, “I spend as much time with them as I can. By sitting with them, you can look at life through their eyes. And it’s not now... Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by [such] things.”

On the work front, Grover has two major projects in the pipeline — Sunflower season 2 and (film) Blackout. Opening up about his journey, he says, “Comedy is a difficult form of art, so is acting. The approach to both the things is very different. While transitioning from comedy to acting, there were challenges. I give credit to Ali Abbas Zafar (director) especially, for believing I can pull off Bharat (2019). Mostly, makers have an image about comedians. They think, ‘Log hassne lag jaenge kya?’ [One must] think beyond what one has been doing.”

It’s been long since body shaming jokes have been sadly normalized on comedy shows and stand-up acts. Fortunately, many have objected to the discourse, stating that some of these jokes go way below the belt and are outright offensive.

In a recent interview with YouTuber Ashdin Doctor (The Habit Coach), actor-comedian Sumona Chakravarti opened up on how demeaning jokes about her lips by fellow actors on a comedy show left her hurt. Earlier, celebs including Archana Puran Singh, Kiku Sharda, Neha Kakkar and many others have been at the receiving end of such body-shaming digs.

Addressing the larger issue, some comedians weigh in on where to draw a line when it comes to cracking jokes on a person’s physical appearance.

Comedian-host Bharti Singh opines that whenever a person feels offended by such jokes, they must say it “loud and clear in the first time itself”. “It does not make sense to get up and express one day how it was disrespectful. I’m sure nobody would repeat it if your boundaries are established,” asserts Singh, who happily takes such jokes on herself.

She doesn’t mind being laughed at for her weight because she is “secure” in her space. She explains, “Someone’s joke cannot decide my respect or how I feel about myself.”

Actor-comedian Gaurav Gera feels the culture has diminished over a period of time. “Thankfully, the whole world has united to share their opinions on this topic on the internet. What the person on the other side feels should be observed and jokes have to be developed keeping that it mind,” he states, hoping that with so much talent in our country, “we can come up with fresh ideas and innovative humour”.

Stand-up comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi feels one “can’t outrightly mock anyone or pass distasteful comments”.

He says, “If I have a doubt that some statement might hurt someone, then I don’t take the risk. It’s an art to convey important points in a comical way.”

Bassi adds that jokes on body image have been done to death. “Priyadarshan ki movies mein yeh sab already ho chuka hai. If I want to do something better, I need to come up with newer ideas,” he notes.

On hitting below the belt and making personal comments in the name of fun, actor-comedian Sunil Grover says, “I just want people to laugh and for that, I do not support making personal comments that may hurt others. If I can make people laugh without the personal remarks, then why to unnecessarily poke anyone or hurt their sentiments or trigger their insecurities.”

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“I felt really bad. After the show (a show with actor-comedian Kapil Sharma), I became very conscious of my mouth. I would not wear a bright lipstick.”

- Sumona Chakravarti

Sunil Grover is in no hurry to break stereotypes. Instead, he is happy making people laugh with his comedies. His next, United Kacche, sees him as an Indian immigrant in London, whose troubles in a foreign land result in hilarious situations. “Such series should be encouraged because it is always great to spread more smiles. Our intent has been to create a funny and feel-good show, which you can sit back and enjoy,” he says of the ZEE5 offering.

Grover, who has been a part of the entertainment industry for over 20 years, shot to fame as a comedian, thanks to his shows Kya Aap Paanchvi Fail Champu Hain, Comedy Circus, Comedy Nights with Kapil, and The Kapil Sharma Show. Of late, the actor has been dabbling in different genres, be it the political drama Tandav, or the Amitabh Bachchan-led family drama, Goodbye (2022). In an industry that is quick to typecast actors, Grover counts himself lucky to be offered diverse roles.

“I was offered eight to 10 scripts last year that weren’t comedies. I couldn’t do most of them because at times, I didn’t like the script, and other times, there were date issues. But the important point is that the industry has started to accept me in roles other than that of a comic,” he states.

As much as he enjoys the varied parts, Grover notes that the pressure on comedians to prove their versatility only highlights that the genre of comedy is taken for granted. “I don’t know why we believe that we will be acknowledged [only] if we do serious roles. I respect every actor who can perform comedy. It’s the toughest form of art.”

When Sunil Grover suffered a heart attack in January and had to be operated upon, it came as a shock to his fans, since the actor is known for his dedicated fitness routine. However, they breathed a sigh of relief when he returned to work with renewed vigour in no time. He did his first assignment 25 days after the operation, a stage show a month later and had started shooting for a film a month-and-half later. The actor, who recently wrapped up the shoot of the film Blackout, says, “Kaam shuru ho gaya hai and it feels nice to be back to work.”

Talking about the health scare, Sunil says, “I had tested positive for Coronavirus and had mild symptoms. Later, I started feeling uneasy and consulted my doctor. I had to take an advance check-up as they suspected some trouble in my heart, and I underwent surgery. Whatever was good for me had to be done. Mera dil wapas dhadak raha hai aur mujhe breathe karne mein aur zyada maza aa raha hai (smiles). I am feeling healthier and more energetic. I am more focused, value work much more and the luxury of going back to the set.”

The phase did change him and his perspective towards life and work. He shares, “For 15 days after the surgery, I became extremely humble and full of gratitude (laughs!). Bada hi sweet ho gaya tha main aur aisa lag raha tha ki sabki respect karu, life hai, gratitude rakho. Now, I feel the intensity has become less, but it’s still there and will remain till the end.”

Sunil further says that the incident has made him more grateful as a person. “It is normal in our industry — put makeup on, put on your outfit of the day and go on to face the camera with a smile on your face. But no one bothers about what’s going on inside,” he says, adding, “There is a parallel universe that’s running at its own pace inside us, and we mostly choose to stay blissfully ignorant of it. We tend to forget the truth. Even I did. We get caught up in our routine, work, commitments, and this life race and forget to be grateful for what we actually have. But I have realised now that gratitude is important. If you can drink water when you want, you are lucky, if you can sit up on your bed by yourself, you are lucky, if you can walk to the bathroom without anyone’s help, you are lucky. When you are lying in the ICU, and having to take the help of another person for these small little things that you take for granted every day, that is when you realise how lucky you have been all this while. Once that realisation strikes, everything else — fame, career, money — feels like a bonus! After this experience, I would like to tell everyone to take care of our health, be grateful for what we have and live with love... that’s about it.” 

But does this mean that the much-loved comedian is completely going to abandon his carefree persona? You bet not. Recently, he posted a photoshopped picture of his character Gutthi in a designer swan-style outfit and captioned it ‘French Riviera’. No wonder the picture went viral and the internet was left rolling with laughter. Ask him about it and he replies, “I have seen celebrities dressed beautifully for the festival. I appreciate the effort, but I also want to know about the film screenings at the festival. I just wanted to put out a message on that, and I did that in my own style. I don’t think about gender when I want to perform or portray something or give a message. For me, it’s just a character and in this case, it unintentionally happened to be a woman,” he answers.

For now, he is busy with films. However, it doesn’t mean that he has deserted television. “What matters is what you are doing and not the medium. If you are enjoying your work and people are appreciating it, then the platform ceases to matter. I will definitely take up a TV project if something good comes my way,” he signs off.

In January, actor-comedian Sunil Grover was admitted to a Mumbai hospital after he suffered a heart attack. Reportedly, he underwent bypass surgery and was discharged on February 3. The actor is now back on the sets and is shooting a project in Rishikesh.

Informs a source close to the 44-year-old actor, “Sunil has been following a healthy fitness and diet regime. He has dealt with the health setback with a positive approach and is now raring to get back to work. He will commence the shoot of his new project in Rishikesh tomorrow. But he will follow his diet, yoga and fitness regime to the T.” Sunil couldn’t be reached for comment.

Recently, the actor also attended and performed at Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in Delhi. The event organised by the Ministry of Culture witnessed performances by other artistes like Armaan Malik and Dhvani Bhanushali, among others.

When actor Ali Asgar learned of actor-comedian Sunil Grover’s heart attack, he was utterly stunned. “It was extremely shocking. At his age, he is pretty fit and active. So it was also scary at the same time,” says Asgar. The two have worked together in several shows, but had not stayed in touch.

Asgar adds that he was so taken aback by the news that he initially refused to believe it. “I thought it was fake news. [Even] when he was out of the hospital, I was still not convinced it was a heart attack. I thought, it’s a human body, there must be something else [and not a heart-related issue].”

The 55-year-old continues, “He is somebody who makes everyone laugh. This shouldn’t happen to him. Everyone’s prayers are with him. I feel he will be more careful [about his health now]. I think kaam ke chakkar mein wo over busy ho gaya hoga.” 

Grover, 44, was discharged from the hospital after having bypass surgery on Thursday. Asgar shares that he is yet to get in touch with him, but in the meantime, he has spoken to Grover’s manager.

“I inquired about his health and asked him (the manager) to contact me as soon as he (Grover) was fine. Right now, he needs rest. But I will meet him soon,” he ends.

Actor and comedian Kapil Sharma expressed concern over his former colleague Sunil Grover’s recent heart surgery. Sunil was rushed to a Mumbai hospital after he suffered a heart attack a few weeks ago. He underwent a bypass surgery and was recuperating in the hospital; he was discharged from the hospital yesterday.

Kapil and Sunil have worked together for many years on The Kapil Sharma Show, where the latter played the character of Gutthi. Speaking about Sunil, Kapil said, “I was shocked and I am extremely concerned about Sunil’s health. I had sent him a message, but obviously, he just got discharged on Thursday, so I can’t expect a message back from him.”

Kapil says, “He had to undergo a heart surgery at a very young age, but he will be fine soon. I’ve inquired about his health from our common friends. Working in the industry for such a long time, we have many friends, and they regularly update me about his well-being and health.”

Kapil and Sunil had parted ways professionally in 2017 after they had a tiff on a flight. However, they have remained cordial with each other. Meanwhile, Kapil is busy shooting for his show and making a bank of episodes.

He said, “We are working very hard these days because we are busy making a bank for our show. I am planning to go abroad after February 20 for a film project and want to make sure that I keep a bank of episodes ready. The coming months are going to be busy, so my entire day goes in shooting and keeping fit, which is important.”

Kapil, who is a father to two children, Anayra and Trishaan, shared pictures of his younger one, Trishaan, who turned one on February 2. “My children are the world to me, but because of my schedules, I can play with them only in the morning. In the evenings, when I return, they are fast asleep. My daughter watches my show and then tells me, ‘Iss main kaunsi badi baat hai, I also come on television.’ She says this because my wife regularly uploads her videos on social media, and she thinks that’s TV, too. We have a good laugh over it. Pura din unka chattar pattar chalta hai and I love it,” he said.

“Aaj kal birthday, phone aur social media pe chala jaata hai,” shares Sunil Grover, who turns 44 today. He adds mentally, he is just 27! The actor, who has no plans of ‘celebrating’ the day, says, “Some people, who you have worked with, point out that ‘I posted a wish for you and you didn’t reply’. The expectation is fine. But I like celebrating the birthdays of others as I feel shy cutting my birthday cake. When I was younger, I looked forward to gifts and my mum’s gulab jamun cake. I’d plan for it a month in advance. Now, I wait for her to send me one.”

On the work front, after his recent web series Sunflower, Grover is preparing for a film in September and another project that starts in November. He admits after his recent projects including Tandav, he is “enjoying acting”. The Bharat (2019) actor says, “It is fun to act and I am getting the kind of work I want. Producers want to start shooting but the pandemic has upset plans. Everyone is scared and can’t decide when to start. Standing costs have increased, so everyone is wary. Things will take time.”

Grover, who established himself as a comic actor on television, says he doesn’t differentiate between mediums. “TV, OTT and films are all part of entertainment. I am here because of TV and I get offers for it. If I get something suitable, I will do it,” he explains.

With people turning to digital platforms for fresh content, Grover is glad that talent is getting opportunities. He adds, “There is so much consumption of content be it on OTT or even social media. I guess, the more, the merrier. On the other hand, due to too many options, survive wohi karega, jo log dekhenge. So, by default, the bar is raised each time for you to perform and create something.”