How was 2020 for you?
2020 has been a tough year for all of us. But it also gave us time to introspect and taught us to value things which we couldn’t earlier. I went back to reading and attended many online workshops on acting and screenplay writing. I tried to be as productive as possible but I certainly missed being on a film set.
Are you looking forward to 2021?
I really hope and pray that this pandemic gets over soon and for our lives to go back to normal.
You had a very good year at the movies?
I was pretty excited for both Ludo and Chhalaang and am glad that both the films got a proper release on Netflix and Amazon, respectively. Both the films were very well-received by our audiences and I personally got so much of love for both my characters Aloo and Montu.
You have an equally exciting year ahead, if not more?
Yes, I am looking forward to the release of The White Tiger my first International film. I’ve some exciting new films in the coming year but most of these films were my prior commitments before the lockdown happened. I feel blessed that am getting these wonderful opportunities to be a part of such amazing stories be it Badhaai Do, Chupke Chupke and HIT (Hindi remake of the Telugu thriller by the same name).
Is it true you play a gay man married to a lesbian in Badhaai Do?
I can’t talk about the story of Badhaai Do. All I can say is these are speculations. It’s a unique story with a big heart and some really wonderful characters.
What is your take on the feud between cinema halls and the OTT platform?
OTT is definitely a very powerful platform and you can’t deny the power of it. Cinemas will always be there but OTT also has a very wide reach. Cinema is a community viewing experience and OTT is a very personal experience. Am just glad that now we have so many opportunities to tell all kinds of stories be it cinema or OTTs.
Which performances did you enjoy in 2020?
I loved Irrfan sir in Angrezi Medium, Sushant Singh Rajput in Dil Bechara, Jaideep Ahlawat and Swastika Mukherjee in Pataal Lok, Prateek Gandhi in Scam, Harsh Chhaya Sir in Andekhi, Rasika Duggal, Divyendu Sharma, Pankaj Tripathiji and Ali Fazal in Mirzapur, Amit Sadh in Breathe 2. On the international front I loved Mark Ruffalo in I Know This Much Is True. These are the performances which really inspired me this year.
Your thoughts for the coming year?
I’ll just be busy finishing all my commitments and hopefully, this pandemic won’t be there anymore in 2021.
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