In this exclusive episode, Akshay Oberoi gets candid about his journey from growing up in the US to making a mark in Bollywood. He shares how MTV Rush and Pizza became stepping stones, and how working with Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan in Fighter finally put him on the map.
Akshay also opens up about his upcoming projects — Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and Toxic (2026) with superstar Yash, giving insights into what makes these films special. He dives deep into his friendships with Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Kunal Kapoor, Prateik Babbar, Manoj Bajpayee, and reflects on the bonds that have shaped his life.
From the highs and lows of acting, to why money and fame too early can harm an actor’s career, Akshay speaks with honesty, warmth, and clarity.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
3:30 - Transition from US to Bollywood
7:15 - Initial Roles: MTV Rush and Pizza
11:00 - Breakthrough and Experience in Fighter with Deepika Padukone & Hrithik Roshan
16:00 - Upcoming Projects: Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari & Toxic (2026) with Yash
20:30 - Acting Career: Challenges, Highs, and Lows
25:30 - Friendships and Bonds in Bollywood (Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Kunal Kapoor, etc.)
31:00 - Managing Fame, Money, and Career Growth
35:00 - Lessons Learned & Final Reflections
39:00 - Closing Remarks and End
Credits:
Host: Shizaa Arshad Khan
Direction & Production: Gouri Prabhakar
Cinematography: PK Photography & Team
HMU: Ankita Ingale
Editors: George C Alex
Editorial Head: Sunita Iyer
Watch now & join the conversation. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Asianet News for more exclusive sit-downs with India’s most influential voices.
#AkshayOberoi #TableForTwo #AsianetNews #Fighter #Toxic #Yash #SunnySanskariKiTulsiKumari #DeepikaPadukone #HrithikRoshan #ImranKhan #BollywoodJourney #ActorLife #BollywoodInterview #entertainment
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Akshay also opens up about his upcoming projects — Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and Toxic (2026) with superstar Yash, giving insights into what makes these films special. He dives deep into his friendships with Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Kunal Kapoor, Prateik Babbar, Manoj Bajpayee, and reflects on the bonds that have shaped his life.
From the highs and lows of acting, to why money and fame too early can harm an actor’s career, Akshay speaks with honesty, warmth, and clarity.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
3:30 - Transition from US to Bollywood
7:15 - Initial Roles: MTV Rush and Pizza
11:00 - Breakthrough and Experience in Fighter with Deepika Padukone & Hrithik Roshan
16:00 - Upcoming Projects: Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari & Toxic (2026) with Yash
20:30 - Acting Career: Challenges, Highs, and Lows
25:30 - Friendships and Bonds in Bollywood (Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Kunal Kapoor, etc.)
31:00 - Managing Fame, Money, and Career Growth
35:00 - Lessons Learned & Final Reflections
39:00 - Closing Remarks and End
Credits:
Host: Shizaa Arshad Khan
Direction & Production: Gouri Prabhakar
Cinematography: PK Photography & Team
HMU: Ankita Ingale
Editors: George C Alex
Editorial Head: Sunita Iyer
Watch now & join the conversation. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Asianet News for more exclusive sit-downs with India’s most influential voices.
#AkshayOberoi #TableForTwo #AsianetNews #Fighter #Toxic #Yash #SunnySanskariKiTulsiKumari #DeepikaPadukone #HrithikRoshan #ImranKhan #BollywoodJourney #ActorLife #BollywoodInterview #entertainment
🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE
For More Updates:
English: https://newsable.asianetnews.com/
Hindi: https://hindi.asianetnews.com/
Malayalam: https://www.asianetnews.com/
Kannada: https://kannada.asianetnews.com/
Tamil: https://tamil.asianetnews.com/
Telugu: https://telugu.asianetnews.com/
Bengali: https://bangla.asianetnews.com/
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsianetNewsa...
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AsianetNewsEN
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NewsTranscript
00:00If I'm not acting, I feel very depressed.
00:02It's a therapy for me.
00:03It's a release for me.
00:04I want to die on a film set.
00:06I hear that you're very good friends with Imran Khan.
00:10Is he coming back?
00:11Isn't it already news?
00:12Isn't it news?
00:14Pehli film as a lead, you must have been so excited.
00:16Yeah.
00:17And when you don't do it...
00:18I'm not the only, the first actor which Pehli film flopped.
00:21It was very scary.
00:22But you know, I think passion drives you to do insane things.
00:25I bothered the hell out of Dejoy Nambia until he gave me,
00:28he gave me a show called MTV Rush.
00:30And then pizza happened off the bat.
00:33How do you work with Ritik Dipika?
00:36I want to know, do real friendships really exist in the industry
00:40or is it just play pretend?
00:41No, I definitely think that real friendships actually exist.
00:44I have found some very deep friends here like Richa Chadda's one,
00:48Kunal Kapoor is another, Imran Khan of course, Pratik Babbar.
00:52It took you a very long time to reach the masses.
00:55Yes.
00:56And it took Fighter.
00:57Yeah.
00:58To put you on the map.
01:00Young,
01:00there's so much fame,
01:02and money,
01:03it's not good for you.
01:04You know, if something happens in my first film,
01:06it will probably become a different person.
01:08But I never gave up.
01:10I kept at it.
01:11My thought process was show up everyday and act.
01:14Today, we have a guest, an actor actually, who's sort of done it all in a way.
01:27From high intense roles, dark thrillers, to high flying action, and somehow managed to,
01:35you know, make us all believe that it's all very easy peasy and very effortless.
01:40So, I'm very, very glad to welcome you on the show, Akshay Oberoi.
01:45How are you?
01:46Thank you. I'm nice. What a nice introduction. Thank you.
01:48So, I've seen you in very intense roles, okay?
01:51And now when I met you for the first time, that's why I was saying that, you know,
01:54it didn't feel like I was meeting you for the first time because you're not intense at all in your life.
01:59Yeah, that's true. It's, you're so right about it. I always find it so funny that I play all these parts.
02:04You know, it happens when people meet me, they always think,
02:06this is a big deal. But then they meet me, I'm actually a very smiley person by nature.
02:11Yeah, I saw you in the fighter, I was scared.
02:14Why?
02:15And you have these eyes also, right?
02:19Have you ever been stereotyped for this role?
02:25Yeah, I'm sure it's happened. But you know, by in large, I think the benefit of my career,
02:30however, like you view my career as good or bad, whatever happens, the best thing that ever happened was that
02:35directors never typecast me, you know, directors never put me, even Siddharth Anand, I mean, he cast me in flesh,
02:40where I played this transvestite flesh trade owner, you know, bada khunkhar, hardcore.
02:45With Swara Bhaskar, right?
02:46With Swara Bhaskar.
02:47Yes.
02:48Oh, you know your stuff. Okay. So, and then…
02:51I've watched you.
02:52Yeah, no, I'm impressed.
02:53OTT and films as well.
02:55I'm impressed.
02:56And then he gave me Fighter, where actually, you know, the character is such a desh bhakti, sweet, innocent,
03:02the lover of, you know, he's smiling through the film until the second half where things go differently.
03:07Yeah.
03:08But even him, I mean, the guy, like such a, you know, commercial filmmaker, he didn't typecast me.
03:14So, I think that's been the most, the biggest joy of my career.
03:17So, now that you've mentioned about Siddharth Anand, right, and Fighter was definitely, I feel like,
03:23it somehow put you on the commercial map as far as the film industry is concerned, right?
03:28How did Fighter happen? Did you happen to audition for it or what was it like?
03:32No, like I said, so I did Flesh and Mamata Anand, who I call her my guardian angel because she,
03:38as you, you, you put it so well, I don't even have to say it.
03:41I mean, I was, I think the work was well reviewed.
03:44But people, people didn't reach the job.
03:46Exactly.
03:47Because it was independent staff or maybe OTT,
03:49there were some things that didn't work.
03:51But it was a lot of my work.
03:53And, you know, same thing with Flesh.
03:55I actually think Flesh is one of my, personally, one of my favorite performances.
03:59And I was very heartbroken when the show wasn't watched.
04:02Hiras now also went defunct and blah, blah, blah.
04:05Yeah.
04:06So she had called me and I remember the conversation was, hi, you know,
04:09you know, Flesh hasn't worked the way we thought it would work,
04:12but we really love working with you.
04:14Trust me, I'll come back to you in six months with something.
04:17Wow.
04:18And it's something that you deserve and, you know, whatever.
04:20And exactly six months later, she called me and she said,
04:23can you come to the office and read Fighter?
04:25And by then I knew what Fighter was.
04:27It was already, in that church, there was already a film,
04:29Vitek Raush and Siddharth Anand reuniting after war.
04:32And Pathan was about to release.
04:34And so she said, why don't you come read it and see if you like it?
04:38And I said, no, no, before you hang up, I'm doing the film.
04:41Wow.
04:42No matter what the role is, I'm doing the film.
04:44So that's how that worked out, you know.
04:46Okay.
04:47Somebody who is just an honest, good human being,
04:50who trusted me and gave me the part, yeah.
04:52So what was it like working on the set actually, you know,
04:55because it was like a big commercial, big budgeted, high budgeted film.
04:59And, you know, Siddharth Anand was there.
05:01And you already know about them,
05:03Ritik Deepika's work.
05:05Yeah.
05:06You know, I thank God that I had all this filmography behind me.
05:10Because if you get such a big film in the beginning,
05:12it would probably be like that.
05:14But because I was confident about my own craft and my own work,
05:17I was able to stand with these, you know, hugely popular mega stars.
05:22Yeah.
05:23Deepika and I had already worked together in Piku.
05:26Yes, I know that.
05:27It was like a blink and you miss kind of role.
05:28Yes.
05:29But we worked together.
05:30I mean, small yet relevant role.
05:32It was a nice role.
05:33It was a nice scene, I should say.
05:34Yeah.
05:35It was a nice scene.
05:36And I remember we both enjoyed playing off each other and doing the scene.
05:40Yeah.
05:41So we kind of had a tuning in a sense.
05:43Because once you've worked with somebody saying dialogue,
05:46you kind of have this, you fall into it.
05:49Hithik was just my idol, you know, growing up.
05:52So meeting him for the first time was already like,
05:55Oh my God, I can't believe I'm working with this man.
05:58But he was so wonderful.
06:00He was so wonderful.
06:01Like, man, he's so generous and so giving and so loving.
06:04And he cares so much about movies.
06:06And he cares so much about his co-stars.
06:07And he just wants everyone to do well.
06:09And he's so vulnerable.
06:10And he's just lovely, you know.
06:12Yeah.
06:13Like, I'm not saying it is your camera's on because you're asking me.
06:15And because he is who he is.
06:17No, you can forget that the camera is on.
06:18Yeah, I'm forgetting it.
06:19I have a very tough time lying because I lie for a living.
06:23So in my real life, I choose not to lie about anything, you know.
06:26So I just tell it like it is.
06:28I really I've loved him since I was a child.
06:31Yeah.
06:32And I think I wanted to become a Hindi film actor because of him.
06:35And he inspired me so much.
06:36He inspired an entire generation.
06:38Correct.
06:39Many generations.
06:40But then meeting him was a whole separate like love and respect.
06:44Yes.
06:45And you know, the way he took care of me on that movie.
06:47Yeah.
06:48But if you watch that filmography way,
06:52you've also had a soft launch in 2002.
06:55Yeah.
06:56Yeah.
06:57Yeah.
06:58American Chai.
06:59American Chai.
07:00Good one.
07:01Yeah.
07:02Well researched, man.
07:03Yeah.
07:04Yeah.
07:05I was coming to that.
07:06Yeah.
07:07So I, okay.
07:08So I jumped it.
07:09But basically, around 2001, 2002, maybe early 2000s, which is when I met Imran Khan.
07:17You know, a person that you're a big fan of.
07:20We met in an acting studio called Kishore Namit Kapoor in Nandheri.
07:23I was in a young age and I was studying acting here.
07:26That's where we met in 2001.
07:28Then I went back to New Jersey and I went back to school in New Jersey.
07:32And I was in a grocery store.
07:34And they were looking for a young Indian boy.
07:37It just said like on a piece of paper.
07:39So I like yanked that piece of paper off and I went home, called the number and I got the job.
07:43And you know, Parish Rahul played my father in that.
07:46So yeah, I guess so.
07:47But I was a child.
07:48I was a baby, you know.
07:50Yeah.
07:51But then, I think your first one was in 2010.
07:55That's right.
07:56Rajshi Productions.
07:57That's right.
07:58That's right.
07:59As the lead actor.
08:00Yeah.
08:01Right.
08:02And then like critically acclaimed again.
08:04Yeah.
08:05But commercially.
08:06But a complete washout.
08:07Yes.
08:08So how did you decide after that, that I want to do this for a living?
08:14Because you were new in this field, right?
08:16Yeah.
08:17So it would have been setback that the first film was as a lead.
08:19You must have been so excited.
08:21Yeah.
08:22And when it wasn't, what was the feeling like back then?
08:24It was very scary.
08:25It was very scary.
08:26But you know, I think passion drives you to do insane things.
08:30So passion helped you pick yourself up back?
08:33Yeah.
08:34Because I knew at that point if I wallow in this self-pity and I'm feeling sad about myself.
08:38And I'll never be.
08:39And I'm not the only.
08:40The first actor in which the first film flopped.
08:42There are many actors like that.
08:43And I just kept reminding myself that no, no.
08:45Do it.
08:46Do it.
08:47Do it.
08:48Do it.
08:49Do it.
08:50Do it.
08:51Do it.
08:52So I went back to theater.
08:53I went back to Prithvi.
08:54I made cold calls randomly calling people.
08:55I bothered the hell out of Bijoy Nambia until he gave me, you know, he gave me a show called MTV Rush.
08:59And then pizza happened off the back of MTV Rush.
09:02And then after pizza.
09:03And pizza was also very good.
09:04I mean, 2014 I believe, right?
09:072014.
09:08And then you were trapped in this haunted house.
09:11Right?
09:12Yeah.
09:13Same film we talked about.
09:14Same film.
09:15Same film.
09:16Same film.
09:17Yeah.
09:18So I mean, that was very good.
09:19But again, I just want to ask you, roles are very meaty meaty.
09:21I'm going to say that.
09:22It's true.
09:23You will have a news break with Sonali Bedre and Jaidi Palavat.
09:26Yeah.
09:27And you know, your upcoming film.
09:29Yeah.
09:30With Yash.
09:31Yeah.
09:32Toxic.
09:33Yeah.
09:34Toxic.
09:35Good opportunities.
09:36Yeah.
09:37It took you a very long time to reach the masses.
09:39Yes.
09:40And it took Fighter.
09:41Yeah.
09:42A movie like Fighter to put you on the map that way, right?
09:44Absolutely.
09:45So, how was your journey?
09:46I want to know that.
09:48What was your roles?
09:49What was your process?
09:50While selecting roles?
09:52There was a point that you felt like, you know, maybe I shouldn't be doing this.
09:59No.
10:00That never happened.
10:01Thankfully.
10:02Okay.
10:03That never happened.
10:04There was always self-belief.
10:05There was always a lot of confidence ki ho ga.
10:07But dukh bhi ho hai.
10:08You know, maybe it made me a better actor.
10:10Maybe it made me value things more.
10:12Maybe it made me appreciate what I have more.
10:14You know, agar meri pehli film mein kuchh chal jati to shayad mein kuchh alag insaan ban jata.
10:19You know, it's very difficult.
10:20We were talking about young umar mein itana sara fame, paisa.
10:25It's not good for you.
10:26It's not good for the mind.
10:28So, maybe it look destiny has its own way of working its way out.
10:33But I never gave up.
10:35I kept at it, you know, and I kept the you're asking my thought process.
10:39My thought process was show up every day and act.
10:42Do something to better your craft every day.
10:44Because film chal na ne chal na star ban na bada ye ban na mere haath ma to hai nah.
10:49Or meri lehe koi guidance tha nah nah ki mai kisi ko phone kar ke pooch hum.
10:52What should I do?
10:53Where should I go?
10:54What should I wear?
10:55How should I speak?
10:56How should I speak?
10:57Um, I just had to figure stuff out on my own.
10:59Um, but there was always a belief that okay.
11:03Like I remember distinctly Friday go film flop ho thi thi thi.
11:06I would spend the weekend locked in my room.
11:08Wallowing.
11:09Just wallowing and crying.
11:10Yeah.
11:11Um, and then Monday morning, I would pick up my phone again and start cold calling people again.
11:15Okay.
11:16And saying ki so and so, please give me a chance to meet you.
11:19I relate my work.
11:20Da da da da da.
11:21Um, and I still do that.
11:22Um, and I still do that.
11:23Hmm.
11:24I still do it.
11:25Like even now I feel like, okay, now things are a bit sorted.
11:27Saamne se phona ta loon ka.
11:28Achha kam milta hai.
11:29Which is very good.
11:30Which is, yeah.
11:31And I, that's, that, that process made me this.
11:34The, the process of failure taught me to, you know, to not have any shame in asking for work.
11:40Wow.
11:41Or, you know, knocking on doors or telling someone I admire their work or, you know.
11:45And, and now when someone comes and asks me for a picture, I value it so much.
11:48Yeah.
11:49I start, I ask them about them.
11:51Who are you?
11:52And what's your name?
11:53And, you know, what do you do?
11:54And I don't think I would be this person if my earlier films worked.
11:58You grew up in America, right?
12:01You do not have an American accent.
12:03How is that?
12:05Is it because of a lot of theatre work that you did?
12:08Yes.
12:09Yes.
12:10Yes.
12:11Both.
12:12You nailed it.
12:13You nailed it.
12:14So both are, both are correct.
12:15My father didn't allow English at home.
12:17Achha.
12:18He's like an educated person in English medium.
12:21And like his English is probably better than mine.
12:23But he wouldn't allow it.
12:25And actually, he was a Punjabi father.
12:27So, I said, he was a dandy.
12:29So, it was only Hindi at home.
12:31Hmm.
12:32Which really paid off years later.
12:33I never, again, as I said, destiny is a weird thing.
12:35Because if he hadn't done that, my Hindi is not safe.
12:37And I can't do this work.
12:39Correct.
12:40Then I realized when I came from America in 2008 that, you know, language is a very important
12:46thing for an actor.
12:47It's, I like think it's 50, 60% of your entire performance is how you sound and how do you
12:52connect with the words you're saying.
12:53So, then I worked a lot on Hindi.
12:55I had a teacher with me.
12:57And I mean, if you look at my books here and there, you'll see all kinds of Hindi books
13:01everywhere.
13:02I still work on Hindi.
13:03I still read Hindi books, literature and poetry and things like that.
13:07I think your Hindi is better than mine.
13:09And theatre.
13:10And theatre is the reason.
13:11I think, you know, method acting.
13:13Because those who work from the theatre, they work very well.
13:16Yeah, method acting is a very confused thing.
13:19Because, you know, the way I see method acting is that it's every one's method acting.
13:24Every one's method acting.
13:26Because method is what works for you.
13:28You know, I think method acting is very misconstrued this thing.
13:31It's not that I'm going to go to that character from the day and the night character.
13:37What the traditional thing of method acting is.
13:39I think it's a very confused term.
13:41I'm not saying you.
13:43I'm just pointing it out.
13:44You know, 100%.
13:45Yeah, I'm just pointing it out because I feel like over the years, it's become kind of
13:48pasteurized.
13:49Like a terminology that is just thrown away like that.
13:52Just thrown away and people don't really know what it is.
13:54What weight it carries.
13:55What weight it carries and what it really means.
13:57You know, there are actors who are technical and technically very sound.
14:02They know that I will see it from here and one ass will fall.
14:05That's also a method.
14:06You know, you know, so I think it's just gotten a little confused.
14:10But for me, acting is just the imagination.
14:14You know, everything comes down to like how much can I, it's like child's play.
14:18You know, if you see my son, he puts on a cape and he thinks he's Superman.
14:22And he's flying and he'll say, Papa, look, I'm flying.
14:25You know, he believes it.
14:27A child is able to imagine.
14:29It's capturing that in your performance, really.
14:32What we do is kind of child's play.
14:34You know, we take ourselves very seriously.
14:36Like method actor.
14:37I'm going to fall.
14:38But I think that's just a way to make your paycheck feel justified.
14:42That's the truth, really.
14:44Anyone else saying anything else?
14:46Unless you're Daniel D. Lewis.
14:48Okay.
14:49What was your first paycheck?
14:51What was your first paycheck?
14:52My first...
14:53Do you remember?
14:54Yeah, it was a Srirachary production film.
14:56I think it was...
14:572010?
14:582010.
14:59So, in 2002, you didn't get paid for it?
15:01I don't think I got...
15:03I think I did that for free.
15:04Okay.
15:05Because it was like mocha.
15:06Yeah, too.
15:07That was also in itself a big opportunity.
15:09That was a big opportunity in itself.
15:10I think I did that for free, if I'm not mistaken.
15:13And then a couple of plays I did,
15:15where I got thousands of dollars.
15:17But really, my first film,
15:19I think I signed DC Life for one and a half lakhs.
15:22Okay.
15:23One and a half lakhs?
15:24I think so.
15:25That's it.
15:262010.
15:27And what was it?
15:29Did you spend it on something?
15:31Do you remember spending it on...?
15:32I think I was like a nice Punjabi boy,
15:35who just gave it to my parents and said,
15:37Mommy, Daddy, these are your Aashirwaad types.
15:40You know, like filmy style.
15:42I think I gave it to my mom.
15:44Okay.
15:45That's lovely.
15:46But tell me one thing,
15:47before doing theatre in India,
15:49you also went to film schools in LA,
15:51in New York, right?
15:52What was the point of going to two different film schools
15:55and doing theatre?
15:56Good question.
15:57Very good question.
15:58Do the film schools?
15:59So, I went to Johns Hopkins,
16:00where I studied theatre arts,
16:01where I studied theatre arts and economics.
16:02Okay.
16:03You were a John Hopkins.
16:04John Hopkins.
16:05Yeah.
16:06Known for its medical sciences.
16:07That's what I'm saying.
16:08I'm acting.
16:09I'm acting.
16:10Again, destiny is a weird thing.
16:12So, John Astin,
16:13there's a show called Addams Family.
16:15He's Gomez from the Addams Family.
16:17Yeah.
16:18So, he started a program within Johns Hopkins for acting.
16:22So, I'd heard about it while I was in high school,
16:24and I went to visit the school,
16:26and then I applied and I got in.
16:27So, I got into that program.
16:29And I studied economics because my father had said,
16:32get a degree you can rely on also.
16:34And I did a minor in film.
16:36When I graduated, John told me,
16:39you're not ready to professionally work yet.
16:42Okay.
16:43He felt that I was still kind of tired.
16:44Okay.
16:45So, he said, you need some more refinement.
16:47And I want to send you to two schools.
16:49He recommended.
16:50He called the teachers.
16:51He got me in.
16:52Wow.
16:53Wow.
16:54And then I was able to go.
16:55And then when you came to India.
16:56Yeah.
16:57What was the shift?
16:58What was the acting school experience there?
17:00Because I'm sure that must have been very enriching in its own way.
17:03There will be a different type of experience here.
17:05So, what is the difference between both of us?
17:06For example,
17:07if you go to New York in New York,
17:10acting,
17:11aspiring actors,
17:12and because they want to do the best,
17:14right?
17:15So, what would you suggest?
17:16What would you suggest?
17:17What would they be the best school?
17:18Should they invest that much?
17:20Because,
17:21you never know what will happen.
17:23You never know what will happen.
17:24No, I would not recommend it.
17:25I would say go to Prithvi and do theatre.
17:27We have great teachers at Prithvi.
17:29We have great plays written by great Indian writers.
17:32Just start doing plays.
17:34If I could rewind life,
17:35I wouldn't have even gone anywhere.
17:36I would have like graduated from high school
17:38and gone straight to Prithvi
17:39and just stayed in that
17:41and done plays
17:42and done plays
17:43and done plays.
17:44And you learn while doing.
17:45This is the kind of job you can learn on the job.
17:48That's why newcomers also get breaks as leading actors
17:51because you can learn the work on the job.
17:54You just have to learn the right habits.
17:56And what are the right habits?
17:58The right habits are
17:59According to you.
18:00Yeah, there's so many.
18:01I mean like,
18:02you know,
18:03like don't
18:04like the basic one is
18:05learning how not to show emotion
18:07but feel emotion.
18:08You know,
18:09to not indicate emotion
18:10but actually feel it.
18:11The camera blows your face up.
18:12It catches everything.
18:13Correct.
18:14Even when you're thinking,
18:15the camera can catch it.
18:16So learning that process
18:18that, you know,
18:19like,
18:21you know,
18:22feel the thing.
18:23And there are tools and techniques to feel,
18:24you know,
18:25which is what you learn in school,
18:26but you can also learn while doing multiple plays
18:28back to back.
18:29So my recommendation would be Prithvi Theatre
18:31is an institution
18:32that has
18:33the smartest people in the world
18:35putting plays,
18:36directing plays,
18:37acting in plays.
18:38Just,
18:39if you love acting,
18:40go there.
18:41Also for the
18:42Chole Kulche.
18:43Ah,
18:44Kril Kulchevara
18:45Yes,
18:46the Chole Kulchevara
18:48At the Prithvi Cafe.
18:49The Prithvi Cafe.
18:50I actually just go there for that.
18:52Oh, you do?
18:53Yeah.
18:54Just the Chole Kulchevara
18:55because you don't have the Chole Kulchevara
18:56because you don't have the Chole Kulchevara
18:57you don't have the Chole Kulchevara
18:58you don't have the Chole Kulchevara
18:59you don't have the Chole Kulchevara
19:00No, no, that's what I would say.
19:01I would not.
19:02Because, look,
19:03at the end of the day,
19:04if you want to be in Hindi films,
19:05why are you going to America to act in English?
19:07You have to work on your Hindi
19:09and act in Hindi
19:10and act in Hindi emotions.
19:12So, I was fortunate to go to these schools.
19:15My father
19:17paid through his nose
19:18to allow me to do some things.
19:21I also got financial
19:23in America you get a lot of financial aid.
19:25Yes.
19:26So, I applied for a lot of financial aid.
19:27My college roommates
19:29because I went to Johns Hopkins
19:30were very smart people
19:31who very early on
19:32got big paychecks at banks
19:34and they were lawyers and doctors.
19:35Yeah.
19:36So, I was able to go to different cities
19:37and sleep on their couch.
19:39So, I was fortunate
19:40because I had an infrastructure
19:41you know what I am saying?
19:42Like, my parents were there.
19:44Yeah, of course.
19:45My college roommates,
19:46my best friends in the world.
19:47And you are in New Jersey
19:48so, I mean, New York is a few hours.
19:49It's only for it.
19:50It's only for it.
19:51It's only for me.
19:52I mean, that's like Anderi to Bandra.
19:53It's like, yeah.
19:54Honestly, it was like half an hour
19:55to New York City
19:56from where my parents lived.
19:57So, it was easy for me.
19:59But, to leave India
20:00to go there
20:01and give school fees
20:02and then give boarding fees
20:04and then give them
20:05to go there.
20:06Especially today.
20:08So, I just don't think
20:09there's a point in that.
20:10And as you rightly said,
20:11it's such a dicey line.
20:12You never know
20:13what returns you're going to get.
20:14You never know what returns
20:15you're going to get.
20:16Look, if you're some big,
20:17short star son
20:18then a few lakh rupees
20:19don't matter.
20:20But, by and large,
20:21India's, you know,
20:22based on India's
20:23average incomes,
20:24it doesn't make any sense
20:25to me to.
20:26There's a kid in my building
20:28who asked me this yesterday.
20:29So,
20:30I'm giving you this
20:31taza taza.
20:32He just asked me,
20:33you know,
20:34should I go to Stella Adler
20:35or Lee Strasberg
20:36or one of these things.
20:37You also got Stella Adler.
20:38Yes, I got Stella Adler.
20:39So,
20:40I mean, look,
20:41I also went on financial aid
20:42and I slept on my friend's couch.
20:44and it was easy.
20:45And I got in because
20:47I had a real bonafide actor,
20:49celebrity,
20:50put me in the school,
20:51you know,
20:52John Astin.
20:53So,
20:54it's been my workout
20:55but I don't think it's,
20:57it's not something I would advise.
20:58Okay, okay.
20:59I would say go do plays.
21:00Toxic,
21:01you know,
21:02it's again a big production,
21:03big budgeted film
21:05with Yash
21:07and
21:08I've heard
21:09Kiara Advani is also there.
21:10So, I mean,
21:11yeah.
21:12So,
21:13tell me how
21:14is that going for you?
21:15Like,
21:16behind the screens
21:17kuch fun stories
21:18tell me.
21:19Well, first of all,
21:20Geetu Mohandas is
21:21just such a great director.
21:22I was about to ask you,
21:23Geetu Mohandas also as a director.
21:24Yeah.
21:25Working with him
21:26must have been
21:27a good honor for you
21:28as an actor, I'm sure.
21:29Oh, absolutely.
21:30And I've seen her two,
21:31first two films,
21:32Liars Dice and Muthun.
21:33And I've actually genuinely
21:34was a huge fan.
21:35And,
21:36you know,
21:37I did this film called
21:38Gurgaon
21:39where Pankis Tepadhi and me.
21:40Yeah.
21:41So,
21:42the producer of it made
21:43Liars Dice.
21:44So,
21:45I've seen Liars Dice
21:46and I remember
21:47that I was thinking
21:48that Getu Mohandas
21:49because she's like,
21:50that Liars Dice was
21:51Nawazetun Siddiqui
21:52and Gitanjali Thapa.
21:54Such a brilliant film.
21:55Then,
21:56Muthun came,
21:57Naveen Pauli,
21:58and Malayalam film.
21:59And I was like,
22:00blown away.
22:01I was like,
22:02this woman is insane.
22:03And then,
22:04lo and behold,
22:05Toxic happens
22:06and she's directing this,
22:07you know,
22:08huge action film.
22:09She's incredible.
22:10So, first of all,
22:11for this film
22:12because she is like,
22:13the coolest.
22:14And Yash,
22:15I mean,
22:16rocking star,
22:17I call him boss.
22:18You know,
22:19boss is his,
22:20kind of pet meme
22:21in South India.
22:22Canada.
22:23Yeah.
22:24But,
22:25I call him boss
22:26because he feels like a boss.
22:27You know,
22:28and he is a boss.
22:29Like,
22:30the way he walks
22:31and the way he talks,
22:32you want to give him
22:33that respect.
22:34His thinking is so large.
22:36You know,
22:37When I talk to him,
22:38I think that my thinking
22:39is so small.
22:40He's so inspiring.
22:41You know,
22:42he's so inspiring.
22:43Plus,
22:44he's a really good looking,
22:45handsome man.
22:46So you're around him.
22:47So are you.
22:49But,
22:50his aura is,
22:51you know,
22:52like this star,
22:53but he's still so humble
22:54and so grounded.
22:55He is.
22:56I wouldn't,
22:57sort of like,
22:58generalize the industry.
22:59But,
23:00but if you look at,
23:01most of the South Indian stars.
23:02Yeah.
23:03Whether it's the Telugu industry
23:04or the Malayalam.
23:05Or the Kannada.
23:06They're very grounded people.
23:07Yeah.
23:08Yeah.
23:09And,
23:10you know,
23:11what I love about that industry,
23:13apart from the stars,
23:15that,
23:16the people there,
23:18love movies.
23:19Yeah.
23:20Yeah.
23:21If you talk about Bollywood,
23:23it has a lot of effect,
23:24post-Covid,
23:25you know,
23:26people don't go to the theaters.
23:27Yeah.
23:28People say,
23:29you know,
23:30we didn't cry as much.
23:32It was not fun.
23:33Yeah.
23:34So they want that action.
23:35They want that.
23:36They love going to the theaters.
23:38It's such a good point.
23:39You will always get the theaters.
23:40Such a good point.
23:41I don't know if it's like,
23:43because the producers and directors there,
23:46made films for their audience more than we did.
23:48Yeah.
23:49So there's a loyalty factor or what it is.
23:51They've kept it for entertaining for the masses.
23:53Yes.
23:54I think we need to find,
23:56I think somewhere we're realizing it in Hindi cinema,
23:59you know,
24:00where things are coming back,
24:01where, you know,
24:02suddenly films are working again.
24:03So it's a good sign,
24:04but you're right.
24:05The South loyalty for fandom.
24:07So you're going to benefit a lot out of that.
24:09Yeah, I hope so.
24:10I hope so.
24:11For me,
24:12the win was like,
24:13my wife, Jyoti,
24:14that she asked me,
24:15what should you do after Fighters?
24:16And I said,
24:17another big film,
24:18it'll be fun.
24:19Like it's just,
24:20it's a good sign, you know,
24:21like it's less so for...
24:22Touch wood.
24:23Yeah, touch wood.
24:24I just wanted to be in another big film like that.
24:26This is the biggest.
24:27It can't get any bigger than this.
24:28Bigger than this.
24:29Yeah.
24:30And hopefully, inshallah,
24:31it'll work for you.
24:32I hope so.
24:33I hope so.
24:34I already feel like I won.
24:35And I don't,
24:36I like,
24:37sometimes I get so stressed thinking about the result of things
24:39that I'm like,
24:40just let it be.
24:41So, I just keep reminding myself,
24:42that already,
24:43I'm like,
24:44I'm in the picture.
24:45You know,
24:46so big films.
24:47And I'm working with so many people,
24:48so big directors.
24:50But yes,
24:51I do hope that the film works for everyone.
24:53Yeah, yeah.
24:54So, you're also working with Varun Dhawan,
24:55Anthony Sanskari,
24:56and Jarvi Kapoor.
24:57Now,
24:58these two are very prominent names
24:59in the industry.
25:00Yeah.
25:01And also,
25:02somehow,
25:03have a very good family lineage.
25:04I just want to ask,
25:05do you think that
25:06the family lineage
25:08comes from here?
25:09Because it's an ongoing debate amongst people,
25:12right?
25:13What really matters according to you?
25:15Do you think
25:16that this debate is really necessary right now in 2025?
25:20I actually think it's really stupid.
25:22Look,
25:23if I had a family business,
25:25that I worked hard to establish,
25:27why wouldn't I give it to my son?
25:29You know,
25:30it's a struggle outside.
25:32But then,
25:33somewhere,
25:34the audience also fell in love with these people.
25:36That's why they are where they are.
25:37Yeah.
25:38So, how can you take that away from them?
25:40And somebody might say to me,
25:42you know,
25:43you know,
25:44you get a big director,
25:45you get a big director,
25:46you get a big film.
25:47But,
25:48there is also a lot of expectation.
25:49I didn't have any expectation on it.
25:51Yes,
25:52you get a big director,
25:53you get a big film.
25:54But,
25:55it's a different struggle.
25:56You know,
25:57my struggle is a different struggle,
25:58but theirs is an equal struggle.
25:59But,
26:00your directors,
26:01you have been very fortunate enough
26:03to work with the best,
26:04creme de la creme,
26:06if I talk about,
26:07the craft.
26:08Yeah.
26:09Because,
26:10interviews start,
26:11the most underrated film in Bollywood,
26:14that I feel,
26:15the most,
26:16the untapped genre,
26:17which is dark comedy,
26:18Kala Kandi,
26:19you worked in that movie.
26:21And I think,
26:22it's one of Saif Ali Khan's best work.
26:23Yeah, it really is.
26:24And I think you were amazing.
26:25Oh, thank you.
26:27Yeah, I do agree.
26:28I actually think it's Saif's best work.
26:29And I'm a fan of Saif.
26:30Also,
26:31we got along like a house on fire.
26:32You know,
26:33we're very similar people.
26:34We like the same music.
26:35You know,
26:36we're very similar.
26:37Also,
26:38y'all are very low-key.
26:39Yeah.
26:40We're not very social media savvy people.
26:41No, no,
26:42we're not,
26:43we're not,
26:44we're not,
26:45we're not people who are like,
26:46I'm going to be like,
26:47I'm going to be like,
26:48I'm going to be like,
26:49I'm going to be like,
26:50he's so classy man.
26:51I mean,
26:52and his humor is like,
26:53you know,
26:54I find the same things funny that he finds.
26:56I had a great time with him.
26:57And so,
26:58you're right.
26:59I'm not complaining about my own journey,
27:01but it's just,
27:02my struggle is different,
27:03their struggle,
27:04but the struggle is the struggle.
27:06And I think it's really stupid.
27:07If people think,
27:08ayy,
27:09what's a Nepo baby,
27:10what's a struggle in life?
27:11That's not.
27:12And today's date,
27:13the audience is saying,
27:14it's going to be like,
27:16before I could understand the debate,
27:18because whatever was hype,
27:19whatever was hype,
27:20as you say,
27:21what you see,
27:22whatever was hype,
27:23you could buy it,
27:24because it's hype.
27:25Today,
27:26with the internet,
27:27and information,
27:28audience,
27:29it's up to 2 minutes,
27:30and the audience is the boss.
27:32And the audience is the boss.
27:33Right?
27:34The actual audience,
27:35the actual boss of our industry is the audience.
27:37So today,
27:38we have direct access to the audience.
27:40So today,
27:41the conversation is mute.
27:42You know,
27:43somebody might get launched.
27:44Will they get their second film?
27:45Will they get their third film?
27:46Will they go on to have a full career?
27:48So being a Nepo baby,
27:50it's got its own difficulties,
27:52which we will never understand.
27:54You will never understand when you're,
27:56that's the launching,
27:58that's the same expectation.
27:59The whole industry,
28:00you already know from childhood.
28:02You are trying to get out of your parents' shadow.
28:07How difficult is that?
28:09Yeah.
28:10So we will never understand that struggle.
28:11100%.
28:12100%.
28:13Actually, tell me one thing.
28:14As an actor,
28:15you know,
28:16how do you balance your life?
28:17Because you're a family man.
28:18Yeah.
28:19You have a beautiful wife,
28:20you have a beautiful kid,
28:21right?
28:22And then,
28:23there comes your craft,
28:24like, you know,
28:25your work.
28:26And then,
28:27now there's an added pressure,
28:28I don't know if you face it or not,
28:30that, you know,
28:31you need to be a little active on social media.
28:34You need to do it all the time.
28:36Because that's,
28:37these are certain demands that,
28:38I'm sure a lot of producers or,
28:39you know,
28:40like,
28:41finances ask out of you,
28:42right?
28:43So how do you keep that balance?
28:44I mean,
28:45does it get hectic?
28:47Nah,
28:48I mean,
28:49hectic,
28:50I don't want to call it hectic because,
28:51I get to do,
28:52I mean,
28:53this profession is so lovely.
28:54You know,
28:55I love,
28:56acting for me is like,
28:57it's so therapeutic.
28:58it takes just feels unfair.
29:00I get paid to do something that I love to do.
29:03But what is one thing that you hate about this?
29:04Social media.
29:05Is it right?
29:06I know about this.
29:07Social media.
29:08And I'm a lot of money in this situation.
29:10And people also say,
29:11that,
29:12that,
29:13focus on it.
29:14Post more,
29:15put more things out there,
29:16get the audience to,
29:17you know,
29:18connect with it.
29:19Are you the one who handles your social media?
29:21Yeah, I do.
29:22No, I handle it.
29:23You handle it.
29:24I post everything.
29:25Everything is me,
29:26whether it's good or bad.
29:27You like it.
29:28Not your team.
29:29No, not my team.
29:30I do it.
29:31There was a period in between,
29:32that I'd hired an intern,
29:33sort of,
29:34when I paid her some money every month.
29:35Because I said,
29:36I don't want to do it.
29:37So,
29:38put a photo on it.
29:39But then I realized,
29:40that is very inauthentic.
29:41And I don't like to be inauthentic.
29:42So,
29:43I,
29:44you know,
29:45I decided to take it over myself completely.
29:46And,
29:47so I've been handling it fully.
29:48Rome isn't built in a day.
29:49And, you know,
29:50there's never too late to,
29:51Never too late.
29:52Never too late to start and get better at it.
29:53But if I had to,
29:54if I wish there was one thing,
29:56that I could just delete from the actor life,
29:57would be social media and Instagram.
29:59Yeah.
30:00Yeah.
30:01So, not very Instagram savvy.
30:02No, I'm not Instagram savvy.
30:04And,
30:05every time I open it to post,
30:06I end up scrolling for 10 minutes,
30:08you know.
30:09Oh, it's very difficult.
30:10And it sucks the,
30:11like it's like a doom scroll,
30:12a zombie scroll,
30:13like that.
30:14And then,
30:15I don't post too.
30:16And,
30:17what's happening?
30:18Ajay tell me about industry friendships.
30:20I hear that,
30:21you're very good friends with,
30:23Imran Khan who happens to be one of my favourite actors.
30:26Yeah.
30:27So,
30:28tell me about that friendship.
30:30And,
30:31everybody in India,
30:32trust me,
30:33everybody in India wants to know,
30:34is he coming back?
30:35Oh, yes, definitely.
30:36I,
30:37he is coming back.
30:38He is coming back.
30:39You know,
30:40I have nothing but love for that human being,
30:41for the rest of my life.
30:42And,
30:43one of my closest,
30:44dearest friends on the planet.
30:45And,
30:46he is such a beautiful person,
30:47everything that he deserves.
30:49Beautifully inside out.
30:50And,
30:51it reflects.
30:52It does.
30:53He is pure inside.
30:54He is beautiful outside.
30:55A lovely person.
30:56Just an amazing human being.
30:57And,
30:58yeah,
30:59I think that,
31:00the whole country is probably going to be,
31:01you know,
31:02especially,
31:03people,
31:04especially women in their 20s,
31:05who know that I am friends with him.
31:06And,
31:07he is coming,
31:08he is coming.
31:09the kind of place that he has,
31:10in people's heart.
31:11Yeah.
31:12It astounds me.
31:13It astounds him also.
31:14We,
31:15missed him a lot on screens.
31:16Yeah.
31:17I mean,
31:18by we,
31:19I mean,
31:20I especially.
31:21Yeah.
31:22No,
31:23I feel it, man.
31:24I feel it.
31:25He was here a couple of months ago,
31:26and we went down.
31:27My son played soccer,
31:28football over there.
31:29And,
31:30one Punjabi uncle,
31:31Sardar uncle,
31:32he was sitting in the house,
31:33and he said,
31:34you are Imran Khan?
31:35Yes.
31:36He said,
31:37must have been a 60 year old Sardar man.
31:38So,
31:39he left,
31:40and I looked at him,
31:41I was like,
31:42look at the people you have touched.
31:43You know,
31:44I say,
31:45that he has a place in women's heart,
31:46you know,
31:47he's like,
31:48this heartthrob,
31:49but even this uncle,
31:50so,
31:51somewhere his purity,
31:52and his vulnerability,
31:53is really,
31:54it's touched people.
31:55And,
31:56I don't understand why,
31:57he did not get the recognition,
31:59that he deserved,
32:00because,
32:01I feel like,
32:02you know,
32:03I don't understand why,
32:04he did not get the recognition,
32:05that he deserved,
32:06because,
32:07I feel he's a great actor.
32:08Yeah.
32:09You know,
32:10whether you talk about,
32:11Break Kebab,
32:12Delhi Belly,
32:13Delhi Belly,
32:14whether you talk about,
32:15Jain Tu,
32:16or you talk about,
32:17something as good as luck,
32:18you talk about luck.
32:19I mean,
32:20it did not do commercially well,
32:21but it was an amazing film.
32:22It was a gangster.
32:23My elder brother loved that film.
32:25Yeah.
32:26He walked out and said,
32:27Imran,
32:28in a better film.
32:29Yeah.
32:30Alheim and Shruti Asan.
32:31What a good pairing.
32:32And that knife scene,
32:33if you like.
32:34Oh yeah.
32:35Yeah, yeah.
32:36Wow, you're like a real filmy kidda.
32:37I love it.
32:38Yeah.
32:39Interestingly enough,
32:40I was a struggler,
32:41massive struggler on that set.
32:43I was like,
32:44Sufan Puri is in Thailand.
32:47And Sufan Puri is in Thailand.
32:48And that's where that film was shot.
32:50So that scene,
32:51I remember sitting there watching.
32:52Yeah, the knife.
32:53Oh, God.
32:54I had jitters when I was watching that scene.
32:57I was like, Oh my God,
32:58what if it actually like.
32:59Yeah.
33:01Yeah.
33:02I felt bad for Shruti Hasan's hand that time.
33:04But that's okay.
33:05Okay.
33:06But talk about your other friendships in the industry.
33:09I want to know,
33:10do real friendships really exist in the industry?
33:13Or is it just play pretend?
33:14No.
33:15I definitely think that real friendships actually exist.
33:17I know that our line has a lot of banauti-pan in it.
33:20It feels like people are just friends for the work.
33:24But I have found some very deep friends here.
33:26Like Richa Chadda is one.
33:28Kunal Kapoor is another.
33:30Imran Khan of course.
33:31Prateek Babbar.
33:32There's so many people that I've met.
33:33All very good actors.
33:34All very good actors.
33:35All very good actors.
33:36So what do you guys talk about when you all meet?
33:38Is it acting?
33:39No.
33:40Actually acting doesn't happen.
33:42What do you guys bond on?
33:44Like Richa,
33:45she calls me and we laugh about the stupidest things.
33:48You know,
33:49like she'll say something like,
33:50I thought of you so I thought of you.
33:54It's random stuff.
33:56Imran and I,
33:57it's a very deep friendship.
33:58It's a very deep friendship.
33:59It's a very deep friendship.
34:00It's a very personal kind of things.
34:02And he's like the go-to.
34:04You know, I call him for everything.
34:05Vice versa.
34:07You know,
34:08with Kunnu,
34:09it's about,
34:10he's a pilot.
34:13It's never about work.
34:15Very rarely just one of my industry friends call me and talk about shop.
34:19Like acting or,
34:20because you get tired.
34:21Yeah.
34:22You're thinking about that.
34:23You're chasing the other directors.
34:24You're chasing the other directors.
34:25You're chasing the other projects.
34:26You're selecting the other projects.
34:28So,
34:29I think the friendships that last is where you can just put business on the side.
34:32Yeah.
34:33You can just hang out because you genuinely connect with that person.
34:35Yeah.
34:36I'm sure.
34:37Another friend I've made very recently is Manoj Bajpayee.
34:39Wow.
34:40I'm doing a project with him,
34:41which I can't talk too much about.
34:42But,
34:44it's just a lovely man.
34:45It was like,
34:46we met and it was like,
34:47this is my very good friend.
34:48Yeah.
34:49Did you have a good friend with Pankaj Padi?
34:50Very big.
34:51Very big.
34:52Unfortunately,
34:53my touch left behind you.
34:54You were with Gurgaon.
34:55Yes, we were with Gurgaon.
34:56Raghini Khanna,
34:57Raghini Khanna.
34:58I remember your role in Gurgaon.
35:01Very intense.
35:02He was trying to open a gym.
35:03Yes.
35:04Nikki Singh's gym.
35:05Nikki Singh's gym.
35:06And then your sister comes from the US.
35:08That's right.
35:09She's an architect.
35:10That's right.
35:11It was a very dark intense role.
35:12I watched that movie.
35:13Yeah.
35:14I love that film.
35:15Shankar Raman directed it.
35:16Yeah.
35:17But, while we worked together,
35:18Pankaj Bhai and I had a blast.
35:20You know,
35:21we had a real blast.
35:22Yeah.
35:23But, unfortunately,
35:24after that,
35:25it was like that.
35:27Then,
35:28he was doing Mirzapur.
35:29Then,
35:30the star one game.
35:31Then,
35:32I think he moved to Mud Island.
35:33So, we lost touch kind of in between.
35:34Yes.
35:35Unfortunately.
35:36But,
35:37I had a great working equation.
35:38Yeah.
35:39Yeah.
35:40Now,
35:41we are going to turn things a little spicy.
35:42Okay.
35:43Spicy.
35:44I have like a couple of games for you.
35:45Okay.
35:46Sure.
35:47Very simple game.
35:48Rate it, date it or bury it.
35:49Okay.
35:50So, I am going to name three roles or three genres.
35:53Okay.
35:54Of film that you have done.
35:56Okay.
35:57You have to tell me which one you rate.
35:59That means solid five stars.
36:01Which one you date.
36:02That means you do it again in a heartbeat.
36:04Okay.
36:05And which one you'd bury.
36:06I mean,
36:07no offense.
36:08But,
36:09you wouldn't want to go back.
36:10Round one is actually your filmography.
36:12Now,
36:13there's Flesh.
36:14There's the other one where you played the queer cricketer inside edge.
36:18And,
36:19Issy Life.
36:20Flesh rate it.
36:22Um,
36:23Uh,
36:24Uh,
36:25Uh,
36:26The inside edge,
36:27I would,
36:28Uh,
36:29date it.
36:30Okay.
36:31And Issy Life mein,
36:32I would bury it.
36:33Okay.
36:34Round two is actually about the genre.
36:35Okay.
36:36Now political drama.
36:37Okay.
36:38Indie crime thriller.
36:40Something like the drama.
36:41Or,
36:42OTT romantic suspense.
36:44Crime thriller,
36:45I would rate it.
36:46Okay.
36:47Political,
36:48Uh,
36:49Drama.
36:50Drama,
36:51And,
36:52Uh,
36:53That romantic OTT thing,
36:54I would bury it.
36:55Okay.
36:56Perfect.
36:57Now we come to a game called Hot Takes Only.
36:58I want to know your own authentic hot take on statements that I'm going to say,
37:02or things that I'm going to say.
37:03OTT versus theatrical release.
37:06What actually matters in 2025?
37:09Theatrical release.
37:10100%.
37:11OTT is great.
37:12It gives you credibility.
37:13But if you want the big ticket,
37:14big prize,
37:15the real,
37:16you know,
37:17kit and caboodle as they say,
37:18theatrical.
37:19Okay.
37:20What shows?
37:21Validation or vanity?
37:22Vanity.
37:23100% vanity.
37:24PR-driven film reviews.
37:25Should we really trust the stars?
37:27No.
37:28You shouldn't.
37:29You should go watch the film yourself and make your own opinion of it.
37:31Because today you don't know,
37:32who is the film,
37:33who is the film,
37:34who is the film.
37:35I don't understand myself.
37:36Playing queer characters,
37:37is it representation?
37:39Or is it tokenism?
37:40Oh.
37:41Interesting.
37:42I hope it's representation.
37:44In fact,
37:45in whatever work I've tried to do,
37:46I've been very conscious to not stereotype it.
37:48And to not make it caricaturish.
37:50Because I never wanted that segment of society to feel like,
37:53this is our benefit.
37:54Yes.
37:55I think already they've been so marginalized.
37:57So for me,
37:58it's representation.
37:59And I hope that the community feels that way too.
38:02That they don't feel it's tokenism.
38:03But do you think as an industry,
38:05like,
38:06do you think that people do sort of like,
38:09take such,
38:10take up such roles,
38:11just to like,
38:12you know,
38:13maybe,
38:14add it to their credit that,
38:15oh, I did this.
38:16Shit, man.
38:17I really hope not.
38:18Maybe I'm too naive,
38:19but I really,
38:20I really hope not.
38:21I feel like people,
38:22are purer than that when it comes to their art.
38:24I really hope.
38:25I really hope.
38:26I don't know.
38:27Maybe I'm just naive.
38:28But now, tell me,
38:29is Bollywood still scared of strong women leads?
38:33I don't know.
38:34I mean,
38:35they have reduced of late.
38:36You know,
38:37you don't see a lot of strong female-led films anymore.
38:39There was a few years.
38:40There was a few years.
38:41There was a few years.
38:42There was a few years.
38:43There was a passion.
38:44There was a famous heroine.
38:45Yeah.
38:46Vidya Balan's three or four films.
38:47There was a story.
38:48There was a story.
38:49There was a story.
38:50Queen.
38:51Yes.
38:52Very good film.
38:53Vidya Balan's story.
38:54There was a story.
38:55There was a story.
38:56There was a story.
38:57Dirty picture.
38:58Dirty picture.
38:59Which made tons of money, right?
39:00Yeah.
39:01Yeah.
39:02But then you haven't seen it of late.
39:03So, I think this is a tough one.
39:04I don't know how to answer it.
39:06Unfortunately, nothing here succeeds like money.
39:09So, films that are female-led aren't making money, then people switch.
39:12You know, now a recent romantic film did really well.
39:16So, I promise you Ugly Pants.
39:17Oh, I watched it.
39:18I really liked it.
39:19I loved it.
39:20I loved it.
39:21I loved it.
39:22And for two newcomers to act that way, it felt very heartfelt.
39:25I mean, I can't believe the maturity.
39:26I cried my eyes out.
39:27I cried at the end.
39:28I cried at the end.
39:29Yeah.
39:30I mean, Mohd Suri, man.
39:31He's a real star there.
39:32Would you want to work with him?
39:33Oh, in a heartbeat.
39:34I messaged him.
39:35As soon as I walked out, being like, you know what I messaged him and what I really felt
39:38was that, every time when I look at his picture, I don't look at him.
39:42The craft mafia recently announced his retirement from films.
39:45He said that, you know, whatever work I've done is going to release and then after that,
39:48I need to focus more on my family life or something like that.
39:51Do you think that actors do reach a point where they feel like, you know, now I've done
39:58enough work and now I should focus on family.
40:01This acting lifestyle gives you so much time in between.
40:04I usually do three films in the year.
40:06How many dates for three films?
40:10Max to max 30 days.
40:12So, how much is that?
40:14That's 90, 120, 120, 30 days of work?
40:16Yeah.
40:17If you're doing max.
40:18One third of your year basically.
40:19Yeah, one third of your year.
40:20You have two thirds of the year.
40:22The acting lifestyle gives you so much time in between projects to spend with your family
40:27and to recalibrate that I never will take a break.
40:31You know, and maybe things have gone differently.
40:33I mean, he had a couple of successes.
40:35Maybe he wanted to enjoy the period.
40:36No, I mean his last 12th film was really good.
40:38Such a huge hit.
40:39Maybe he wanted to enjoy it.
40:40Maybe after all the years of running on a, you know, on that treadmill, he got, he was
40:44like, maybe.
40:46So, I don't know what that feels like because I'm still running on that treadmill trying
40:50to get what I want to get.
40:52For me, acting is like, if I'm not acting, I feel very depressed.
40:56You know, it's very therapy.
40:57It's a therapy for me.
40:58It's a release for me.
40:59It's the only way I can really express myself.
41:01Yeah.
41:02And so, I can't break.
41:04I want to die on a film set.
41:06Oh God.
41:07Sounds morbid.
41:08Sounds a little morbid.
41:09Yeah, it does.
41:10But I would love if like, the last breath I have is like, you know.
41:14You're that passionate about acting?
41:15Yeah, yeah, yeah.
41:16I'll never quit.
41:17I'll never quit.
41:18I'll never take a break.
41:19I can't.
41:20I'm physically addicted to it.
41:21Wow.
41:22I'm addicted to acting.
41:23That's amazing.
41:24Like, I'm literally not myself when I'm not playing.
41:26I'm not going to set, you know.
41:28Okay.
41:29Networking versus audition, what gets you hired?
41:31Both are very important.
41:33A combo of both.
41:34I still would rate auditioning a little bit higher in today's time.
41:39Maybe not five years ago.
41:41I think today, filmmakers have upped their game.
41:43The writers have upped their game.
41:45People do land parts from a good screen test.
41:48Yeah.
41:49They really do.
41:50More so than showing up at a party.
41:51Okay.
41:52Last game.
41:53Very quick one.
41:54Yeah.
41:55Okay.
41:56It's called Roast or Toast.
41:57Okay.
41:58So, I'm going to give you a few names.
41:59People in the industry or people, you know, like you've worked with.
42:02And either you roast, that means you say something cheeky about them.
42:06Or you toast or you say something really nice about them.
42:09Heartfelt.
42:10Number one is Tanali Bendre.
42:11Toast.
42:12She was my childhood crush, man.
42:13Ah.
42:14Everybody's childhood crush.
42:15Big time, big time, big time.
42:16So, at first I was like, ah, my God.
42:18But what I was amazed about is like, the comeback she's made, you know.
42:21It makes me realize that there's no, like, no one can stop you from, you know.
42:25She's a warrior.
42:26She's a warrior, man.
42:27The way she's fought her cancer, the way she's fought like coming back.
42:29Especially when she was in such a male-dominated time in our industry and to come back and play powerful roles.
42:35Yeah.
42:36Real cool.
42:37Swara Bhaskar?
42:38I'll roast her.
42:39Because I think that she's such a good actress.
42:41But she, I don't know whether she's interested in politics or acting or what.
42:45And sometimes I'm like, Swara, you come back to acting.
42:48Because it's good actors.
42:50Siddharth Anand?
42:51Toast, toast, toast, toast.
42:52I mean, he's the toast of the town.
42:53I don't have to say anything about it.
42:54He's the king.
42:55He's making king.
42:56We wake Oberoi.
42:57Another Oberoi.
42:58I wish that he did more work.
43:01Because I genuinely think that he's a very good actor.
43:05And I feel like some way he has maybe, I don't know whether he wants to do it or not.
43:11But I would love to see him in a hard hitting role that he gives everything to just one more time.
43:15A director who scares you but in the best way.
43:18I'll toast him, Neeraj Pandey.
43:20I'll toast him, he's such an amazing filmmaker.
43:23And I'm such a genuine, genuine, genuine, genuine fan of that man.
43:27But I'm so intimidated by him.
43:29I think he's one of the smartest people in the business that I've ever met.
43:32And the things that come out of his mouth, I'm like, everything to me is like gold.
43:37He's saying something and I'm like, this is cinema gold.
43:40But I'm so intimidated by him that I'm not myself around him.
43:44But on that tone, I'd like to say I had a blast interviewing you.
43:48Ah, so did I talking to you.
43:50You know, as we wrap up, my last question.
43:53Okay.
43:54If you had to give your filmography, think about your filmography and put it in one line as a dating app bio, what would it be?
44:05Come to me, I'll offer you a little bit of everything.
44:08Versatility today actually is very rare.
44:11And I'm so glad that you've been able to give us such meaty roles and such good characters in such good films.
44:19And I wish you all the success.
44:21Oh, thank you.
44:22You continue to give us such good delight in cinemas as well as on our TV screens.
44:27And you know what?
44:29Yeah.
44:30Because it feels really nice when all your stuff has kind of been watched by somebody, which doesn't happen all the time.
44:33So thank you.
44:34Yeah, of course.
44:35You're a great actor.
44:36You deserve every bit of it.
44:37I appreciate it.
44:38Thank you so much.
44:39Okay.
44:40It's a wrap.
44:45Let's see you in the next video.
44:46You can enjoy the video with a conversation with us.
44:47Saran�.
44:48It's a wrap.
44:51Bye.
44:52We're good.
44:53Bye.
44:54Bye.
44:55Bye.
44:56Bye.
44:57Bye.
44:58Bye.
44:59Bye.
45:00Bye.
45:01Bye.
45:02Bye.
45:03Bye.
45:04Bye.
45:05Bye.
45:07Bye.
45:08Bye.
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