Stardust IV
Barun Sobti: I would rather quit acting than return to daily soaps - INTERVIEW
posted on : 10 Dec 2014
In 2012, television heartthrob Barun Sobti quit
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? on Star Plus, much to the chagrin of his fans. At the peak of his TV career, Barun, who made Arnav Singh Raizada a household name left to find greener pastures in the arms of the film industry. Since then, fans have been eagerly anticipating his film debut, and it has been two years. But there's no need to wait any longer, because the much delayed
Main Aur Mr. Riight, a lighthearted romantic comedy will answer those prayers this Friday.
Back with a bang with three films in his kitty including
Satra Ko Shaadi Hai produced by John Abraham Entertainment, Barun talks about his foray into film from television, why he'll never do a daily soap again, and much more.
Exceprts...
Main Aur Mr. Riight - the trailer looks really promising and the buzz is picking up. But the film is a romantic comedy and that's a formulaic genre. What is it about this film that separates it from the rest?That's true. It could possibly look like something you've already seen before, so I'm just going to quote what some people had to say after they watched the trailer. A romantic comedy has to revolve around a love story, but the jokes, the freshness and the treatment can be very different each time. And the feedback I got was that those things seemed very inviting to the viewer.
The USP of the film is that it's very young. The director is just 25, so the film is catering to the youth and we hope it resonates with them.
Why the decision to do a romcom as your first step into the film world?I don't function that way. There's no thought process behind it. It's really a level-playing field. I don't think about the genre, or the possible financial status of the product when I'm reading the script, any script. Main Aur Mr. Riight gave me the right feeling in both my head and my heart, so I took it up.
So you wouldn't term this as a step above in the career ladder? Are television and film on the same level for you?Yes, definitely. I'll do TV again in the near future. And these days, I don't find any difference between the two anyway. They seem like the same industry, and there's a lot of movement opportunity. Film actors do television and television actors do film.
You play a struggling actor in the film. Which established film actors do you draw inspiration from in real life?
Well, I'm a Salman Khan fan in the film. You read about him in the papers and admire his work, his philanthropy, and even the struggles he's faced in real life. I really admire people who rise above their mistakes because I want to be like that. I love helping people out.
As for the struggling actor, I think I'm still one in real life. So I don't need to prepare for it (laughs).
You're quite suave and charismatic, but in the film you come across as loud, brash, crass and a bit jhalla...'
That's me from years back. So the character is a mix of what I used to be, and also many men and boys I've observed over the years.
I'm from Delhi. And if you've seen Punjabi boys in Delhi, you'd know that they constantly live in a myth that they're the best! They have such immense confidence, I would say over-confidence that they think they know better than others. Sukhi' never thinks before he speaks, and believes all that he says is correct. And he has that persuasive power to make you believe that what he is saying is correct, even if it isn't. That's the kind of projection I wanted, a gradual progression from an overconfident first impression to eventually realizing that he's a nice guy.
Sukhi goes through a transformation in that sense...
Well, that's purely physical. And that's kind of the point. No matter how much Aliya (Shenaz Treasury) changes his exterior, she can't change his heart. And that's the one she has to fall in love with.
Let's talk about your leading lady in the film, Shenaz...
Shenaz is very easy to work with. We're both easy-going people and there's no fuss with us.
Adeeb Rais (the director) is really young and a debutante. What happens in such a situation? How much do the actors contribute to the making of the film in this case?
Adeeb is 25 now, he was 23 when he made the film! But he's clear about his vision, and more importantly, he's adamant. He won't budge from his decision.
I try to lead by example during shoot. If he told me something or refuted me, I would follow what he had to say because I wanted people to know that he was running the whole thing and it's his call at the end of the day. I think he appreciates that.
Has your wife seen the trailer or the final cut of the film? What was her reaction?
She has seen the trailer, and she's very excited. It was funny because when she saw it, she said she was pleasantly surprised that it was so good. I was shocked. I said, "why is it a surprise at all?" (laughs)
She's a critical person so she wouldn't lie to me, and hopefully she wouldn't be biased just because it's me.
What are your expectations from Main Aur Mr. Riight?
I want to come across as a courageous actor, more than anything else. I don't know how many people will watch the film, how many will like it, and how much money it'll make. I just want those who do watch it to remember our work.
It's a niche film even within its demographic, very urban... very stylized. And right betweenAction Jackson and PK. Does that concern you?
Not until you just mentioned it! (laughs) Honestly, we're just really happy that it's a solo release. Hopefully no one will eat into our business.
The music of the film is also being appreciated for its eclecticism. How do you think it has shaped up?
Yes, I think the album is a nice mix of everything. I love 'Desi Daru,' it's a fun number. 'Bhool Na Jaana' sung by Farhan Saeed and composed by a Delhi band, Astitva, is another favourite, it's a beautiful song - one which it is intense, sad and romantic all at the same time.
Your next is an intense drama where you play a sports agent (Mitali Ghosh's 22 Yards). So have you enjoyed the romantic comedy environment more, or the serious environment more.
More than enjoyment, I'll tell you what I love more. I love drama. Very selfishly, I think a film like 22 Yardsis one where you get a lot of scope to perform. Comedy is definitely more difficult. You'd rather have people laugh at your joke than cry with your tears. But I'm a drama junkie.
So how will your equation with television change after doing three films, if it does at all?
I won't be doing any daily soaps again, that's for sure. I would rather quit acting than going back to that life.
That's quite a stance. What's the reason?
As an actor, and even a show independently, you go redundant very soon. It's impossible to have new and fresh ideas every day. The impossible working hours, we feel almost brain-dead by the time just one episode is shot. And there's almost no time for family, which is my biggest regret from that time.
There is hardly a creative process in the making of these shows. It's all about TRPs and how the producers want to project the show, and these are not creative but business decisions.
I wasn't thinking at that time at all. Now I have a bird's eye view of the situation and can think about all that I lost. It killed me that I wasn't with my wife for the first year of our marriage.
I don't have the right to say "I'm a superstar and I'll only work certain hours a day" because I'm not one. So, daily shows are pretty much a no-no.
In that case, what would you want to do on television now?I'd like to do a weekly show. There's nothing on my plate as of now, and I don't know if it's the right time for me to venture back into television. But I'm very interested in the evolution of Indian television and experimentation with new formats, and I'd love to be a part of it someday.
What's the status of Satra Ko Shaadi Hai produced by John Abraham?It's going through its final stages of editing. I've seen the rushes, it looks promising. The cinematographer has done a fabulous job. And everyone in this film is in a really good space. People really care about the authenticity of the characters.
It's an ensemble situational comedy with fifty two characters and will release next year.
Did you have any interaction with John?John's all about the brawny talk, but is really into the serious stuff at the same time. We didn't interact much but when we did we would talk about food a lot, but most of those conversations were dominated by me
(laughs).You've got so many accolades and awards for your work on television...Awards are really unfair. They are based on subjectivity and not objectivity. Unfortunately, there is no other way to reward people for their work in this industry, but I don't really believe in them.
http://www.magnamags.com/live-feed/barun-sobti-i-would-rather-quit-acting-than-return-to-daily-soaps-interview/5778
Edited by MastMalang - 10 years ago
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