Showing posts with label Viineet Kumar Singh interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viineet Kumar Singh interview. Show all posts
Viineet Kumar Singh on turning father: "I hardly sleep through the night, but it feels good"
8:34 AM
Actor Viineet Kumar Singh, who became a father last month, says the experience has been both demanding and deeply fulfilling
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 19, 2025)
It’s been nearly a month since actor Viineet Kumar Singh and his wife Ruchira Singh welcomed their first child, a baby boy. The actor describes the past few weeks as a mix of sleepless nights, tender moments and drawing on past experience.
What many may not know is that Viineet is an MD in Ayurveda. “I was prepared for the fatherhood journey. During our internship, we also had to work in the gynaecology department. That gave me ample exposure for this phase,” he shares.
Coming from a joint family has also helped him ease into the role. “I’ve witnessed the birth of six children at home. The youngest is 10 months old, while the eldest are between six and 16. Maine unki parwarish dekhi hai, contribution kiya hai. I am a very good and quick learner, cheezein dekhte hi seekh jaata hoon,” he says.
The 42-year-old adds with a laugh, “Jab zindagi mein baaki tough cheezein kar gaya, baccha paalna toh maine dekha hua hai. I have done it.”
Professionally, 2025 has been a high for Viineet as well. He featured in Chhaava, Superboys of Malegaon and Jaat, showcasing a wide range of roles. Among them, Chhaava has emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year so far.
Yet, for the actor, the biggest joy remains fatherhood. “When Ruchira was expecting, I was recommended the book What To Expect When You’re Expecting. But honestly, nothing compares to experiencing it yourself. Everything feels new. I hardly sleep through the night, but it feels good. The moment he cries, I get up and run to him. It’s sheer joy to even watch him turn in his sleep. And when he smiles, I forget everything,” he says.
I feel like a newcomer all over again...fatherhood is a deep feeling of love-Viineet Kumar Singh
9:31 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; July 30, 2025)
Viineet Kumar Siingh and his wife Ruchiraa Ghormare welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on 24 July. Reflecting on this new chapter, the actor shares, “This feeling is very special. As they say, the world changes after becoming a father, I feel it right now.”
Holding his son for the first time left him awestruck. “When I held my son for the first time, I was nervous, thinking he is so delicate. It is an overwhelming feeling,” he recalls.
What followed, he says, was an immediate shift in perspective. He adds, “In that moment, all my priorities somehow shifted immediately. Everything related to the baby became my priority. From figuring out his sleep schedule to running errands for him, I am constantly trying to make sure he is well taken care of.”
On embracing fatherhood, he says, “Fatherhood is a deep feeling of love, and it can be felt only when one goes through that journey. The role of a father is beyond anything I might have done or will do in movies and shows. I want to fulfil this role for the rest of my life. Ruchira and I are trying our best to fulfil the responsibility of being parents.”
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Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 30, 2025)
Actor Viineet Kumar Siingh and his wife, actor Ruchira Singh, took their newborn home on Monday. Sharing his excitement about becoming a dad, Viineet, who welcomed his son on July 24, says: “I don’t have words to describe the feeling. I feel like a newcomer all over again. Everyone in the family is so happy and many of them have already travelled to Mumbai from Varanasi (his hometown).”
Though the new parents “haven’t slept in three days”, Viineet realizes that it’s just the beginning. A licensed medical practitioner himself, the actor doesn’t only want to be a hands-on dad, but also be there for his wife.
“Postpartum is real. A new mother goes through so many hormonal changes. So, such factors cannot be ignored. Logon ko aisa lagta hai ki delivery ho gayi toh ab sab theek hai. But, we must realize that we’ve just crossed the first level,” says the 46-year-old.
The couple has already decided upon a name for the baby, but they will reveal it in due time. Ask Viineet, who was seen in Chhaava earlier this year, if he would take a break from work, and he says, “I am not going outside the city for work for at least 45 days. From being my stylist to manager, Ruchira is the one who manages all my work. She runs the house too. Ab usey meri zarurat hai, so I want to be with her all the time.”
South cinema cinema poore Bharat mein chal raha hai because everybody can relate to it-Sunny Deol
8:45 AM
Compiled by Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 13, 2025)
Actors Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda and Viineet Kumar Singh - the star cast of Jaat were in town recently to meet the winners of the HT City Stars In The City contest. In conversation with Chief Managing Editor, Entertainment & Lifestyle Sonal Kalra, they were up to answer every question that came their way. From an overload of action films, to nepotism, they took it all. Randeep also went on to share some BTS stories from his wedding in 2023 to Lin Laishram, and everyone was left surprised.
Oh, and that was not it. How can you have such macho stars in the house, and not have a panja battle!
There’s so much action in Jaat. Does it come naturally to you at this point? Or do you roll your eyes when an action script is narrated to you?
Sunny: Scripts pasand aati hain, tabhi karta hoon films. In the kind of films I’ve done, [my] character is an underdog who comes up and wins and overcomes the situation. Chaalis saal se tag aisa lag gaya hai ki main [action] se nikal nahin paa raha hoon. But Jaat is a very entertaining film.
Who’s the real ’jaat’ in the film?
Randeep: I am a real-life Jaat, playing a Sri Lankan in the film, and that’s a joke on me (laughs). But it’s good for the movie. Kya yeh community ke baare mein hai? Kisi individual ke baare mein, ya yeh koi agent hai? Film dekh ke pata chal jaayega. The only true Jaat in the film, however, is Sunny Deol. Humare Haryana mein bolte hain, ‘Jaat ki full form hai, Justice, Action and Truth!’”
Viineet, what was it like working with two powerhouses like Sunny and Randeep?
Viineet: I got a lot of love from these two secure actors. Bade ped ke neeche chhota ped khil nahin paata. But agar ped aisa ho, toh ped dam dama ke khilta hai!
There’s a lot of talk about north vs south cinema. Having worked with Telugu director Gopichand Malineni on his first Hindi film, what’s your take?
Randeep: Filmmakers in the south make slick films. As far as North-South goes, language is the last form of communication in any human interaction.
Sunny: Unka cinema poore Bharat mein chal raha hai because everybody can relate to it.
Do you have any real-life memories that felt like a filmi, dramatic moment?
Randeep: My wedding took place in Manipur under heavy Army protection. There were more security personnel than civilians; as soon as the pheras finished, AK-47s went off in the air across the entire valley. Shaadi ho toh aisi ho!
Sunny, as your sons Karan and Rajveer set out in their careers, how will you support them while letting them carve their own paths?
Sunny: As a father, I will always support them, like my dad (actor Dharmendra) did. Karan is on his own journey; let’s see where he goes. Baaki, when you become a father, you realize that you will always have that ‘dhak dhak’ in your heart.
A break helps one maintain their sanity-Viineet Kumar Singh
8:39 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 22, 2019)
Actor Viineet Kumar has been working continuously. “Yes, I haven’t had time off since August, 2018,” says the actor, who has shot for seven projects over the last one year. So, the Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012) actor had recently flown to Goa for a mini vacation with his sister. “After shooting for the Hindi remake of Thiruttu Payale 2, I headed to Goa. It was my sister’s birthday and we had a small celebration there. The last few days of the shoot drained me completely as I couldn’t get enough sleep. I was mentally exhausted as well,” he says.
The vacation proved to be therapeutic for the actor. He shares, “I wanted to go to the mountains because they are very peaceful. But I had to listen to my sister. I spent my time at the beaches of Goa, watching sunsets and gazing at the starry skies at night.”
He further adds, “For the past year, I had been working on Bard Of Blood, Aadhaar, Saand Ki Aankh, Tryst With Destiny, Betaal, Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl, and the Hindi remake of Thiruttu Payale 2. And so, I wanted to slow down the momentum, contemplate on life and prepare myself for the road ahead.”
Viineet says that the vacation was a stress buster for him, as some characters that he played took an emotional toll on him. “After playing certain characters, you feel completely drained. A break helps one maintain their sanity and helps strike a balance between personal and professional lives,” says the Gold (2018) actor.
He, however, wishes he could’ve extended his stay in Goa a while longer. “Soon, I started getting calls and I had to go back to reading scripts. I don’t know when leisure turned into business. After Mukkabaaz (2017), I was reading scripts for six months without taking any break. I wanted to experiment with my films and characters and I ended up committing myself to too many projects. So, leaving one character behind and moving on to the next became a taxing process,” he signs off.
I’ve been slogging it out for 19 years-Viineet Kumar Singh
7:57 AM
Dhaval Mehta (DNA; October 5, 2019)
Viineet Kumar made a foray into Bollywood in January last year with Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkabaaz. However, one cannot consider him a newbie because he has been around for almost two decades. The actor, though, emphasises that his innings only began in the first month of 2018. “For 14 years, I was writing Mukkabaaz and it released in my 18th year. So, I’ve been slogging it out for 19 years. But I only consider myself 18 months old in the industry. I’ve used all that experience in my acting,” says the actor-writer. Now, the tide has turned as he has Saand Ki Aankh (SKA), Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Aadhaar lined up. “Mukkabaaz is one film that has given me 10 years of my life back,” says Viineet, as he talks about the six releases in the next seven months.
Tell us about your character in Saand Ki Aankh?
I play the role of Dr Yashpal, who belongs to the profession of shooting. He returns to and wants to contribute to his village in some way. He knew that Daadis (Chandro Tomar and Prakashi Tomar) had this talent and if they are trained well, something good could happen. If not for my character, Daadis couldn’t have won their first medal. So, it is a pivotal part. Also, I am happy the trailer has been appreciated.
But it also faced flak for casting Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar as older characters...
Honestly, I read the script and was only concerned with what I was doing in the film. Casting is not my domain. It is the prerogative of the filmmaker. Even in the past, we have seen many actors portray older characters and they have been appreciated. This issue can be good for debate and many people can have different takes on it.
How much does it help as an actor to work with different personalities like Anurag Kashyap, Akshay Kumar, Reema Kagti and Tushar Hiranandani?
As an actor, it was important for me to work with different directors. Most people were under the impression that I only work with Anurag sir. I’ve learnt a lot from him and become a better actor. I try to fulfil the expectation of my director. It is good to collaborate with different directors and I am also getting repeated for their next projects.
How was it filming for the Bard Of Blood?
It was great but the weather was difficult in Ladakh as the temperatures were in the range of -8 degrees and -12 degrees centigrade from 4 degrees. We have grown up watching the works of Shah Rukh (Khan) saab and learned so much from him. It was nice working with Emraan (Hashmi), Jaideep (Ahlawat), Sobhita (Dhulipala) and Kirti (Kulhari).
You have spoken about struggling to get all this work. How did you deal with it and did you have a backup plan?
During difficult times, my father used to say, ‘Haariyon ne himmat, bigadiyo ne Hari naam’, which means never give up and always believe in the power of God. And I was not even given the opportunity to show my talent then how could I give up? I believed whenever I'd get a chance, I’d prove my mettle.
How important is screen presence vis-a-vis character while choosing a project?
I’m not afraid to experiment with my roles. When I choose a film, I’m concerned with the script, director, producer and what I am doing in the project. A good director can make an average script magical as it is their medium. I come with all my preparation but follow the script and director. It’s the filmmaker’s prerogative how he utilises me.
There have been many films that had young actors portraying older characters-Viineet Kumar Singh
7:50 AM
Co-star Viineet Kumar backs casting of Taapsee, Bhumi as 60-year-olds in Saand Ki Aankh
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 4, 2019)
Even as select veteran actors, including Neena Gupta, had questioned the decision of the makers of Saand Ki Aankh to rope in young female actors for the role of 60-year-old sharp shooters Chandro and Prakshi Tomar, cast member Viineet Kumar Singh says the trend isn’t new in cinema.
“There have been many films that had young actors portraying older characters. Saaransh [Anupam Kher], Lamhe [Anil Kapoor] and Lincoln [Daniel Day-Lewis], are a few of them. All of these actors were appreciated. I’d urge people to make a judgement after watching the film, instead of harbouring any pre-conceived notions,” says Singh, who slips into the role of a coach to the shooters, played by Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar.
Singh, who’s last release Bard Of Blood has received mixed reviews, says he has been receiving praise for his small but vital act of a RAW intelligence officer sent on a covert mission to Balochistan, in the Netflix offering. “I was looking forward to doing something on a streaming platform for a while. With this offering, I could see that my character, Veer, had something important [to offer].”
For Singh, green-lighting a Shah Rukh Khan production was also nostalgic. He recalls how as a participant of a reality show 17 years ago, he had received praise from Khan for his “zabardaast” act. “So, doing this show felt like an achievement.”
Singh has the Janhvi Kapoor-starrer Gunjan Saxena biopic, and another Netflix show, Betaal, in the pipeline.
I’m lucky to have people that experiment with me-Viineet Kumar Singh
8:24 AM
Viineet Kumar on looking for roles with scope to perform and playing mentor to Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar in upcoming sports biopic
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 26, 2019)
Viineet Kumar, who featured as a boxer in Mukkabaaz and a hockey player in Gold, is gearing up for his third sporting encounter. In Tushar Hiranandani’s directorial debut Saand Ki Aankh, the actor will be seen as Dr Yashpal, who guides the two sharpshooter protagonists towards bullseye.
The actor asserts that the story, based on the lives of Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, the world’s oldest women sharpshooters, from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, is an important one to tell. “I believe no-one should be denied their rights, on the basis of gender or otherwise,” he says, adding that his character in the film, which is headlined by Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar, “has gone beyond the village and seen the world. When he discovers the two women’s shooting skills, he decides to teach them without thinking of the consequences.”
Even though the story is set in his home state, it was a new experience for the actor who is from Varanasi. “The way people from Baghpat talk, their lingo, their lehza, is different. You can do a line or two without much difficulty, but you can’t do a whole film if you haven’t learnt and practiced it,” Viineet explains.
As part of his prep, he also met the real-life Revolver Dadis, as the Tomars are known, and other professional shooters. As for the reel Dadis, the actor says, “From the time we started working on the film, I had a great time working with Taapsee, Bhumi and even Prakash ji (Jha, co-star). And as a director, Tushar is very clear about what he wants.”
Since he assisted Mahesh Manjrekar on films like Viruddh and Deh before turning his focus to acting, is direction on the cards? “No such plans for now,” he insists, adding that he is hungry for good roles with scope to perform. “I’m lucky to have people that experiment with me. Filmmakers not only trust me to deliver, but they are also coming back to work with me,” Viineet concludes.
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