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Says actor Varun Badola, who feels that good characters still manage to survive on the small screen today
Varun Badola has worked his way into the list of most sought after actors on Indian television today. While on a short visit to Lucknow, Badola spoke about the three biggest roles of his life - parent, actor and cricketer.
Being choosy
Varun's acting career has seen him venturing into a plethora of genres. Comedy, drama, reality TV- he's done it all. Was it a conscious decision to be so diverse? "It's conscious till a certain point. After some time, you automatically tend to get choosy about the kind of work you want to do. Even people don't approach you for anything and everything. But I have not done frivolous work. I have done everything with utmost sincerity. I am pretty sure that I haven't made the wrong choices," he states.
Actor vs character
Varun is a well-known face on TV today. His acting has been a talking point in plenty of soaps - be it Koshish Ek Aashaa 13 years ago, or the more recent Phir Subah Hogi. However, to make a mark on TV today is a challenging task, considering the fact that new shows and new actors are being launched by the moment. As an industry stalwart, he shares some advice for youngsters on TV today. "Shows today don't last too long but performances definitely do. Even after 13 years, if people talk about Koshish, it means that good characters do survive. One should get into acting for the right reasons. Stardom will eventually follow, but you have to make the right base. And if you do that, you will last longer than others. One must concentrate on the kind of work one does."
Director's hat? why not!
Before venturing into acting, Varun assisted Tigmanshu Dhulia for five years. Besides being an assistant director, Varun was an additional dialogue writer too. So, do we see him donning the director's hat anytime soon? "Direction is something that demands a lot of time. I have a few scripts ready. If I ever get comfortable enough and have the time, then maybe, who knows. My career has been a very logical progression," he hints.
Howzzat!
Acting might be his profession but cricket is what rules the acclaimed actor's heart. Ask him about his love for the game and his excitement is for all to see. "I play for the Mumbai Heroes in the Celebrity Cricket League. Let me tell you - we have a very, very strong team. Cricket keeps me interested. I take my cricket much more seriously than my acting, and that's why I am pretty good at it. The last time we played a match, I was picking up the bat after almost two months, and I still remained not out," he chuckles. Ask him his take on the recent spot-fixing scandal to hit cricket and he replies tongue-in-cheek, "We played a match against the Parliamentarians in Dharamshala last month. I told one of the players that ours is probably the only televised cricket match that is not fixed!"
Dad's the way Varun got married to actor-singer Rajeshwari Sachdev in 2004. The couple has a three-year-old son, Devagya. Varun and his wife have also been sponsoring the education of a girl child since the past 10 years. Describing life post parenthood, he says, "I have become much more responsible. Suddenly, you become very protective about your kid though I'm not the over-protective kind. I don't fret if my son falls down or gets hurt. But you start thinking more about the kid rather than yourself. It's a feeling you would never understand unless you become a parent."
- By Saloni Tandon
Varun Badola has worked his way into the list of most sought after actors on Indian television today. While on a short visit to Lucknow, Badola spoke about the three biggest roles of his life - parent, actor and cricketer.
Being choosy
Varun's acting career has seen him venturing into a plethora of genres. Comedy, drama, reality TV- he's done it all. Was it a conscious decision to be so diverse? "It's conscious till a certain point. After some time, you automatically tend to get choosy about the kind of work you want to do. Even people don't approach you for anything and everything. But I have not done frivolous work. I have done everything with utmost sincerity. I am pretty sure that I haven't made the wrong choices," he states.
Actor vs character
Varun is a well-known face on TV today. His acting has been a talking point in plenty of soaps - be it Koshish Ek Aashaa 13 years ago, or the more recent Phir Subah Hogi. However, to make a mark on TV today is a challenging task, considering the fact that new shows and new actors are being launched by the moment. As an industry stalwart, he shares some advice for youngsters on TV today. "Shows today don't last too long but performances definitely do. Even after 13 years, if people talk about Koshish, it means that good characters do survive. One should get into acting for the right reasons. Stardom will eventually follow, but you have to make the right base. And if you do that, you will last longer than others. One must concentrate on the kind of work one does."
Director's hat? why not!
Before venturing into acting, Varun assisted Tigmanshu Dhulia for five years. Besides being an assistant director, Varun was an additional dialogue writer too. So, do we see him donning the director's hat anytime soon? "Direction is something that demands a lot of time. I have a few scripts ready. If I ever get comfortable enough and have the time, then maybe, who knows. My career has been a very logical progression," he hints.
Howzzat!
Acting might be his profession but cricket is what rules the acclaimed actor's heart. Ask him about his love for the game and his excitement is for all to see. "I play for the Mumbai Heroes in the Celebrity Cricket League. Let me tell you - we have a very, very strong team. Cricket keeps me interested. I take my cricket much more seriously than my acting, and that's why I am pretty good at it. The last time we played a match, I was picking up the bat after almost two months, and I still remained not out," he chuckles. Ask him his take on the recent spot-fixing scandal to hit cricket and he replies tongue-in-cheek, "We played a match against the Parliamentarians in Dharamshala last month. I told one of the players that ours is probably the only televised cricket match that is not fixed!"
Dad's the way Varun got married to actor-singer Rajeshwari Sachdev in 2004. The couple has a three-year-old son, Devagya. Varun and his wife have also been sponsoring the education of a girl child since the past 10 years. Describing life post parenthood, he says, "I have become much more responsible. Suddenly, you become very protective about your kid though I'm not the over-protective kind. I don't fret if my son falls down or gets hurt. But you start thinking more about the kid rather than yourself. It's a feeling you would never understand unless you become a parent."
- By Saloni Tandon
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