Samir Soni: I was surprised to see so many people turn up at Siri Fort

The angry man of Bigg Boss 4, who was called the diplomat of the house, Sameer Soni, was recently in town to impress Delhiites with his acting chops on stage. 

With Mandira Bedi, the actor explored the intricacies and challenges of love, loveless marriages, heartbreaks and relationships in general through their English play, Anything But Love. The investment banker-turned-model-turned-actor spoke to us about acting, filmmaking, his days in the Bigg Boss menagerie, his future projects and his darling daughter Ahana. Excerpts from the conversation:

Relationships, marriages, their complications- Anything But Love is about a divorced couple -Mandira and Sameer. Five years after their divorce, they run into each other at a restaurant. While she is happily married, he is having a ball - plenty of 'hot' young chicks, non-committed relationships and no rona-dhona. However, after this chance meeting, they both rediscover their feelings for each another, and decide to give those feelings a second chance. "Some people are never ready... they refuse to grow up, and how they deal with the challenges that relationships throw at them, the play is all about that. It's been running for quite some time - almost 10 years. We'd performed in Delhi like a million years ago, but this time it was surprising to see so many people turn up at Siri Fort to watch the play on a weekday. The turnout was no doubt amazing, but it's a trade-off. I like intimate gatherings more, a multiplex kind of feeling, Kamani (Auditorium) perhaps. The whole idea of theatre is to break the barrier between the audiences and the artistes on stage. But here you can't really see the expressions from a distance. And the actors can't see the audience's reaction," he says.
Love TV, but it's time to explore filmmaking- Sameer was approached for a new show byEktaKapoor, opposite SonaliBendre, but he had to decline. He reveals, "I was offered the role of a business tycoon, but I had date issues because I am directing a film. I couldn't take November-December off for her show, so it didn't happen. I love TV, and I look forward to coming back on TV, but cinema is something I have always wanted to explore. I have written the script and my complete focus is on my film right now." 
What is the film about? He says, "It's a psychological thriller called My Birthday Song. Sanjay Suri is playing the lead. For most films in India, people say, 'Umm, it's a good film, but leave your brains behind.' I love films which make you think, not necessarily in an intellectual manner, but like a riddle. So, I thought let's do a film that will force the audience to bring their brains with them. It's going to be a dark film, not a massy film at all. I'm a big critic myself and I'm bored of sitting at home, watching films and criticizing others' work. Therefore, this film will be a big test for me."
Sameer conceived the idea around six years back and narrated it to Karan Johar, who suggested that Sameer himself direct the film as he had imagined it and it would be difficult for another director to do justice to the script. Later, Sanjay convinced him to helm the project. "Sanjay and I are now co-producing it, which will ensure that the vision is the same. We have already done a couple of songs, and we start shooting in November end, primarily in Mumbai. I haven't taken up any projects on TV, as the most important thing right now is to finish it as soon as possible. It's been haunting me for five-six years now, and I just want to get this out of my system and move on. I know I am bringing it out for the right reason, and it's a story I want to tell, so no point procrastinating." 
The actor, who played a gay designer in Fashion, is happy that the audiences, especially youngsters, are responding well to the new-age, realistic cinema. "The audiences have come of age. There is room for non-massy subjects, niche films now. We are the youngest population in the world. What better way than cinema to introduce them to the realities and technicalities of life and do that in a language they speak and understand? I went to a college recently, and played a song of mine there. It's a rock song in English. They said it sounds good in English and I don't need to translate it in Hindi. So, I just want to reach out to the audience and connect with them. Of course, I am not expecting my film to be a Kick or a Krrish," he says.
Bigg Boss brings the best and worst out of you- Talking about the most challenging part of his stay in the Bigg Boss house, Sameer says, "The biggest challenge is to keep your brain going. There is nothing to watch, nothing to read, nothing to listen to, so what do you do? You are bombarded with negative thoughts. The environment is such that it brings the best as well the worst out of you. I kept myself busy with work. I was cleaning toilets, helping others. I had to keep myself occupied, otherwise I, too, would have succumbed to the negativity of that house. Nonetheless, I loved it inside. It was one of the best experiences of my life. If I have a choice, I would love to go back. It's a great show. Where else can you have an experience like that, where you don't have a phone, you don't have your family, no music, no books? That is when you learn about yourself. You learn to co-exist with different kinds of people. This is what I learnt about myself, that I can adapt anywhere. I am proud of having stood up for things inside." Sameer was criticised for being diplomatic and manoeuvring his moves. In his defence, he says, "I knew my parents, fiance and friends were watching the show. I didn't want to behave in a manner that would have hurt their sentiments. I was blunt, but I wasn't manoeuvring. I was nominated the maximum times in theBigg Boss history. People were scared that I might win. Had I been planning my moves or playing safe, I wouldn't have been nominated week after week. How can you put on a facade 24 hours a day? I went inside thinking I would be back home in 3-4 weeks. But I liked it inside that locked building. I was just being myself. If you are entering the house with a plan, it will all fall flat in two weeks. If you have any motives, you are up for trouble, because the producers are too smart. They will figure it out, and then they will challenge you on that. Your best bet to survive longer then is to just be yourself."
Ahana is a great reason to go home- Sameer and wife Neelam adopted a baby girl last year. So, has there been a shift in priorities after they brought their daughter home? "Not really. Things haven't changed much. Ahana, our girl, is 19 months old now, and she is another reason to go home. She tells me, 'No papa, come daddy sit,' so it's all very enjoyable. But I am not a hands-on dad, I can't change diapers. But it's nice to see Neelam play with her. She keeps occupied and nothing else matters to her more than Ahana. I've never seen her this happy," says he.