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Barun Sobti
On Serials, Films and Beyond
Q. I would like to say that females from the age of four to 40 and above are all excited about your visit to Kenya. What do you have to say about that?
Barun: (laughs) Well, I don't know what to say. I guess, I am just going to be there and do my best.
Q. Is this going to be your first visit to Kenya?
Barun: Yes, I have never been to Kenya, but have heard a lot about the country and it's wildlife. So, I'm really looking forward to visiting Kenya.
Q: You will be attending the Zuku Cricket Wars. What do you have in store for your fans in Kenya?
Barun: I think I will be displaying a little bit of my cricket antics, nothing else.
Q: Interesting. Barun, the popularity of "Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon" was immeasurable. Did you expect that your character ' Arnav Singh Raizada, would attract such a following?
Barun: No, I had no idea. I was amazed at how people followed the serial and I gained so much popularity for it. I had no idea it would get so overwhelming and never in my life did I imagine that I would get so much popularity. The appreciation, the love and the fan following has only humbled me more.
Q: How do you handle that craze about you - do you have girls throwing themselves at you?
Barun: No, nothing of that sort happens. And, about handling the craze, well one just has to hold your dignity- that is it.
Q: What is the real Barun Sobti like; who is he?
Barun: I am actually a simple guy. I am very ordinary ' and like everyone else I go to work, I go back home and enjoy a meal with my wife.
Household name and enjoyed popularity on par with Bollywood A-listers.
That is no mean feat. As witnessed, his exit from the serial caused the makers to scrap the show in totality. That is the kind of hysteria that Barun Sobti is surrounded with.
Evidently, when it was established that Barun would be in Kenya for the Zuku Cricket Wars, all hell broke loose. And before he could utter his famous words ' What The... The Asian Weekly had nailed an exclusive interview with this television superstar who is on his way to making it big in Bollywood.
Mention the name Arnav Singh Raizada to any lady who has watched Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon on Star Plus last year, and you are likely to witness a series of expressions varying from sighs to gushes. In the year that the serial was broad- casted, Barun Sobti ' the star protagonist of the serial, went on to become aPakki Hai and Dr Raj Singh in Dil Mil Gaye.
Q: Which character have you enjoyed playing the most?
Barun: I had a ball playing Dr Raj Singh in Dil Mil Gaye. The character was a negative one and being a serial for the youth, I had a lot of fun playing that character.
Q:Tell us about your venture into Bollywood, and how Main Aur Mr Right happened?
Barun: It just happened by chance. The director of Main Aur Mr Right saw me on the show (Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon) and he said he liked the way I acted. So they asked me to audition and the ball was set rolling! However, the challenge was shooting for the film because I was doing a daily show at that time. That was really tough.
As I chat with you, I am actually going for the dubbing of the film right now. There was a scene that required me to look sleepy and the sound engineer working on the film said that it was the most real sleepy scene he had seen in his life; the funny thing is, I was actually deprived of sleep when that scene was shot. So, yes it has been hectic shooting both the show and the film.
Q: Tell us more about your character in Main Aur Mr Right.
Barun: My character is of a loud Punjabi munda. You know, some of us Punjabis are really loud! It's about how he meets a girl and she transforms him. That is the much I can tell you.
Q: What was different about shooting a film as compared to a television show?
Barun: Firstly, it is not as taxing. The other thing is that in television, you act out the character for so long that the acting becomes natural. It is like a routine because you know the character so well. Also with television shows, you have to finish on time and there is no room for mistakes. With films, the ambience is a little relaxed, the deadlines can be pushed and things work out smoothly.
Q: Are you only going to feature in films or do television shows too?
Barun: Well, I don't know. TV and films go hand in hand. I am not the guy to say I have gone to Bollywood, and I can't do television. I was just on the verge of tiredness in television, when this film came along.
But, that doesn't mean I won't do TV. In fact, someone called me to do a
cameo in television for six to eight days. I was willing to do it, but I wasn't given any date. Let's see how things work out.
Q: So can we expect a sequel to Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?
Barun: I can't tell; I have no idea what the makers of the show are thinking.
For lighter questions Barun, in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon,
Q: you were famous for uttering the words "What the..." So if you were to complete the phrase, what would the third word be?
Barun: Hell. I know I am being interviewed by a publication that is read by many people. So, I will say 'What the hell' completes the phrase. However, the third word could change, depending on the situation I am caught in!
Q: What is the best compliment anyone has ever paid you?
Barun: I receive a lot of compliments, but it is important to know which one is coming from the heart. If someone tells me I am the best looking guy in the world, that's a lie. The people that I have shot with have told me how good a
human being I am, and that means a lot to me.
Q: Your life is not complete without...
Barun: It sounds cheesy to say... but it will have to be, my wife.
Credit for WU: MediaQue Entertainment
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