00:00Mr. Kunal, first of all, welcome to INS.
00:02Thank you. Thank you for having me.
00:04First of all, I would like to know that this is the era of Diwani Music.
00:08People are giving a lot of love to Taran.
00:12What would you say about that?
00:14Love is always welcome.
00:16I am so happy that people have got a chance to watch the film again.
00:21I have received a lot of love online.
00:25I am also getting messages.
00:27My friend has sent me a video from Pondicherry.
00:29People are singing songs, saying dialogues, dancing in the halls.
00:34So it's really really lovely that the impact of the film
00:39and the way it has stuck in people's hearts.
00:43So I feel honoured actually.
00:46Mr. Kunal, I would like to know one more thing.
00:49You have seamlessly balanced Bollywood, theatre as well as OTT also.
00:53Yes.
00:54What is your favourite genre, theatre, Bollywood or OTT?
01:01Well, there is not much difference between OTT and film.
01:06In the sense that when you are doing a series in OTT,
01:09you get a chance to explore the character.
01:12So the scope of the character increases
01:15because you are doing multiple episodes, multiple seasons.
01:18So the journey of a character is stretched out
01:22and it can go on for years.
01:24And people are also with the character for longer.
01:32So there is a different kind of joy in that.
01:35In film, you shoot for 2-3 months
01:39and if the film goes on, it stays in people's hearts.
01:43It's a good thing.
01:44Otherwise, you move on to the next thing.
01:46But your experience is shorter.
01:49Because when you are doing 2-3 seasons in a series,
01:52like tripling a series,
01:54we have done 3 seasons.
01:56We started with multiple years in 2015.
01:59We shot a season in 2022.
02:02So so many years have passed.
02:03People are also changing.
02:04Technicians are also changing.
02:06Directors are also changing.
02:08So there are a lot of changes.
02:10In OTT, directors also keep changing.
02:13Sometimes from episode to episode, sometimes season to season.
02:16So the way they look at it,
02:21they might change the tone of the series also.
02:26Whereas in film, it is one director and one person's vision.
02:30So that is also a difference.
02:33In theatre, the one-on-one interaction you get with the audience,
02:40you don't get anywhere else.
02:42There is no filter between you and the audience.
02:45No editor can cut you off.
02:47No director can put you aside.
02:50It's just you and the audience.
02:52So that is a different fun.
02:53But...
02:54How do you get excited in the media?
02:56Everyone is exciting.
02:58Everyone has different challenges.
03:00In film and OTT,
03:03how do you graph the character?
03:06When are you shooting?
03:08No one knows.
03:09Are you doing it in the last, first, first, last,
03:11in the middle, are you starting?
03:13It is so difficult to graph the character.
03:16Even in the day,
03:18sometimes you shoot the later scene first,
03:21and then you shoot the later scene.
03:23So there is no linearity in it.
03:26So that is also difficult.
03:28If you get it done from a theatre artist,
03:30sometimes they can't do it.
03:32Because they generally have the same vision
03:35that I have to start and finish in two hours.
03:38But that is also difficult.
03:40Yes, but in theatre it is difficult
03:42because you have to remember all the lines.
03:44There is audience interaction.
03:46Sometimes...
03:47You can't make changes.
03:49You can't make changes.
03:50But every medium is different.
03:54But there are challenges in both.
03:56Talking about Delhi Valley,
03:58you had a very iconic role.
04:00Do you think Bollywood will dare to make such a film?
04:06They are doing it.
04:08Take Malegaon Express.
04:11It is quite out there and very entertaining.
04:18The shows they are making in OTT,
04:20they are also quite progressive
04:22and quite out there.
04:25And they are exploring many other things.
04:27From caste, class, wealth, social stigma,
04:33they are dealing with so many things
04:35in their OTT shows.
04:37I would say they have gone well beyond.
04:39But as a film,
04:44Delhi Valley was ahead of its time in that sense.
04:48But now what we have started doing on OTT
04:51has far exceeded that.
04:53Do you think Bandish Bandits,
04:56which was a mix of music and drama,
04:58do you pick up any musical skills
05:00while working on these shows?
05:02I didn't need any musical skills
05:06because I am not singing in it.
05:08Everyone else is singing.
05:10Atulji, Sheebaji, Rajesh Telang, Ritwik.
05:14I tried in school but I don't have the voice for it.
05:22I have never learnt how to play a musical instrument.
05:25This is a regret in life.
05:27Because if I had learnt piano,
05:30harmonium, flute, violin,
05:33I would have learnt something.
05:35But I don't have any musical instrument.
05:37Tabla, drums, nothing.
05:41You have recently returned to theatre
05:43with Constellation after a decade.
05:45What was the biggest challenge
05:47in making the comeback?
05:49Getting back into the rhythm of theatre.
05:52It is a discipline.
05:54We rehearsed for the show for a month
05:58from morning to evening.
06:00In our time,
06:02we used to rehearse for 2-3 hours in the evening
06:06and the show would be ready in 2-3 months.
06:09But in this, we were rehearsing
06:11from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening.
06:13Like a 9-to-5 job.
06:15It was very regimented.
06:17And for 3 weeks.
06:19It was a different schedule.
06:21The commitment was at a different level.
06:23Also, it was only 2 actors.
06:25Ahana, Kumra and myself.
06:27It was more difficult with only 2 actors.
06:29There were different situations.
06:31Very minor changes.
06:33It was a difficult piece.
06:35And it was not comedy.
06:37That was also a different thing.
06:39It was not funny.
06:41The commitment to readjusting
06:43to that level of rigour
06:45was something that took some time.
06:47You have started your podcast
06:49last week.
06:51Yes.
06:53Loyal Family.
06:55What is the funniest and weirdest
06:57listener's reaction you have ever received?
06:59Actually, in our show,
07:01we invite listeners
07:03to send their problems.
07:05If you have any problem in your life,
07:07you can send us.
07:09So,
07:11whatever is troubling them
07:13in that week,
07:15they think of something
07:17that is irritating to them.
07:19Like a problem.
07:21So,
07:23every week,
07:25we have 2-3 listeners
07:27send us some problem
07:29and we have to solve it.
07:31That is the format of the show.
07:33We also have problems every week
07:35that we try and solve for each other.
07:37Can you give us a sneak peek
07:39of your upcoming projects and any surprises for your fans?
07:41Well, surprises.
07:43Hopefully, they are all
07:45in different genres.
07:47That is what is exciting.
07:49In one, I am playing quite a serious role.
07:51In another, I am doing something different.
07:53Generally, I do comedy.
07:55But in this, I got a chance to do something
07:57very straight and serious.
07:59It is a kind of light-hearted thriller.
08:01We have just completed the film.
08:03Then, there is a series
08:05I have done with Pankaj Kapoor
08:07and Mona Singh
08:09which is like a family drama.
08:11Then, I have done another series
08:13which is kind of behind the scenes
08:15of a...
08:17which is again...
08:19It is a drama but fun.
08:21There is a fun character I am playing in that.
08:23So, there are three series,
08:25two films and one road film
08:27with Manish Paul.
08:29So, I am doing that as well.
08:31Yes, there are many things.
08:33You have been part of
08:35some experimental and
08:37outward films also.
08:39So, do you feel Bollywood is still hesitant
08:41about unconventional storytelling?
08:43In Bollywood,
08:45the space has actually shrunk
08:47now, I think.
08:49Now, we are looking at most mainstream things
08:51because if you want to run a film
08:53in a theatre,
08:55you need something that is more
08:57down the centre.
08:59Small films, dramas,
09:01comedies, they don't get space now.
09:03Unless it is a film that has
09:05worked in the past, they can re-release it.
09:07But otherwise,
09:09it is all very mainstream,
09:11very larger base
09:13kind of catering to a larger audience.
09:15So, all these things have moved
09:17on to the OTT space.
09:19So, people are taking these risks
09:21but not for screen,
09:23they are taking it for OTT.
09:25If we talk about Denny Belly,
09:27it has a fair share of bold humour.
09:29So, if it were made today,
09:31do you think the cancelled culture would allow it?
09:33No, there is no such thing
09:35which was
09:37either chauvinistic
09:39or patriarchal.
09:41In fact, to the contrary, it was
09:43about strong women, characters.
09:45So, there is nothing to cancel.
09:49It wasn't derogatory
09:51to anyone in that sense.
09:53So, I don't think it would be cancelled.
09:55I think people would love it right now.
09:57Many actors from
09:59Yeh Jawaani Hai Diwaani have got
10:01a big budget post-release.
10:03So, do you feel you are underrated
10:05despite delivering a memorable role?
10:07No, I don't think so.
10:09I think it was the correct rating.
10:11I think it was the correct rating.
10:13Many people have got good films
10:15after that.
10:17So, do you think your role
10:19was small but good?
10:21No, thank you.
10:23But I think that
10:25I am very happy with the kind of roles I have got.
10:27So,
10:29in this industry,
10:31getting a job
10:33and running your house
10:35is a big thing.
10:37So, I don't think that
10:39there is any complaint in that side
10:41to say that I didn't get this role.
10:43I didn't get that role.
10:45The roles I am getting are good.
10:47I just hope to do more such roles.
10:49If you are part of such
10:51iconic films like Yeh Jawaani
10:53and Delhi Belly, it's a privilege.
10:55Hopefully, in 20 years,
10:57if I get 2-3 more films like this,
10:59what else do I need in life?
11:01When the boom of OTT,
11:03do you think Bollywood is struggling
11:05to keep up with fresher,
11:07more direct storytelling?
11:09Well, I think that
11:11firstly, we have
11:13completely
11:15alienated the mass
11:17audience from cinemas.
11:19Cinemas are now only for
11:21privileged people who have money.
11:23Cinema used to be
11:25the medium for the masses.
11:27Now, the medium for the masses is everyone's phone.
11:29The medium for the masses
11:31is now everyone's television.
11:33The medium for the masses is not the big screen
11:35anymore because we have outpriced it.
11:37So, that is the major
11:39change. Bollywood
11:41is also now catering to a different
11:43audience than it was in the 80s.
11:45In the 80s,
11:47we were catering to
11:49the large chunk of the Indian
11:51population that was a working class
11:55because they could afford that ticket.
11:57They could go to the cinema.
11:59Now, you have completely outpriced them
12:01from the thing. Now, you are only left
12:03with people.
12:09Now, if you have
12:11a big film like Shah Rukh Khan's
12:13film, that is meant for the masses
12:15and people go because it is an event film.
12:17I am not talking about that because it is a big film
12:19and an event film. But by and
12:21large, everyone cannot
12:23go. The footfalls that we used to get
12:25will never come back because
12:27we have completely outpriced the
12:29cinema hall ticket prices.
12:31So, how will
12:33someone working as a labour
12:35go and watch a film for so much money?
12:37It's impossible.
12:39As a theatre actor, do you think Bollywood
12:41is still undervalued because of
12:43stage performance?
12:45No, I think people have a lot of respect
12:47for people who are from the stage but
12:49having said that, every stage
12:51performer does not make a good film
12:53actor and every film actor does not make
12:55a good stage performer.
12:57So, as I said, those are different skill
12:59sets.
13:01Your podcast takes
13:03witty digs at pop culture.
13:05Has anyone ever taken offence at something
13:07you have said?
13:09No, not till now. We do it in a very light-hearted
13:11way and we try not to offend anyone.
13:13So, it's very
13:15quite mild that way.
13:21One Bollywood film wish
13:23you had starred in?
13:25Wish I had starred in?
13:27Satya.
13:29The funniest blooper
13:31moment from Delhi Bailu?
13:33Blooper moment?
13:35I think one of the
13:37blooper moments is that there's
13:39a sequence in which I'm riding a scooter
13:41and Veer is behind me and
13:43that goon pulls his
13:45tie and his neck
13:47gets pulled.
13:49So, I think in one or two takes
13:51his neck actually got pulled
13:53because it was very scary.
13:55But it was also, I mean the first time
13:57it happened was quite scary but then
13:59after that we had to do a detachable
14:01tie.
14:05A role you regret saying no to?
14:11I don't
14:13know. I don't have any regrets
14:15that way of saying no to anything.
14:17No regrets.
14:19If Tashi from
14:21Delhi Bailu beat Taran from
14:23Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani,
14:25what would your conversation be like?
14:27I think Tashi would
14:29stereotype him and say
14:31he's a rich guy, he's born with a
14:33silver spoon in his mouth.
14:37Whereas Taran might seem like that but
14:39Taran has a little more depth.
14:41He's not like that actually.
14:43So, I don't know what the conversation would be.
14:45But Tashi
14:47is one who
14:49likes to expose people.
14:51That's this thing.
14:53So, let's see.
14:55Your go-to guilty pleasure movie?
14:57Guilty pleasure movie?
14:59I don't know. So many are there.
15:01Mad Max.
15:03Fury Road.
15:05One actor you would do a full-fledged
15:07comedy film with?
15:11Varun Sharma.
15:13Manish Paul.
15:17Which I am doing.
15:19Hopefully people will enjoy that.
15:21If you had to pick a stand-up comedy special
15:23or staring in a
15:25Masala Bollywood film?
15:27A stand-up comedy special or
15:29Masala Bollywood. I would do the Masala Bollywood film.
15:31Lastly, what one
15:33message you have to give to your fans
15:35as well as a Valentine's Day wish?
15:37A Valentine's Day wish?
15:43I wish everyone a happy
15:45Valentine's Day. It's a day of love.
15:47Love not only for your boyfriend
15:49or your husband or your wife but also for
15:51everyone around you. So, spread the love,
15:53spread the joy and happy Valentine's Day.
15:55And a message
15:57for my fans is
15:59thank you for watching my films
16:01and series and
16:03thank you for all your messages that you have
16:05sent me online.
16:07So, keep watching
16:09what I do. Sometimes it will be good, sometimes
16:11it won't be good. You can let me know if it's not also.
16:13I don't mind.
16:15Keep sending your love. Thank you for
16:17watching me.
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