Barun Sobti
Barun Sobti, the heartthrob of millions across the globe, just finished shooting for John Abraham and Shoojit Sircar's Satra Ko Shaadi Hai. He spoke to TOI about shooting for the movie in extreme heat in Bhopal, his latest addiction and more in a freewheeling chat.
How did you land this role?
The casting director of this film Jogi ji had auditioned me for some other film. The tapes were with him and he showed it to John and Shoojit sometime around February. They liked the tapes and finalized me. This was a one schedule film. So we started in March and finished it in around one and half months. Now we are just awaiting the release in the first quarter of next year.
So what made you take up a movie, with an ensemble cast...
The script was very nice. I liked it the very first time Arshad Syed (the director) read it to me. Right from the time I started out, I have just focused on the script and have associated myself with movies that are heavy on content, so that when people see I am starring in it, they know that it's a good movie.
But were you apprehensive, considering this is Arshad's first movie?
No it didn't concern me. If everybody had 100% record of hits and flops, there would have been no surprises. There's not one director with 100% success rate. You have to take your decision based on the content you are being considered for.
How was it working with John Abraham? Did you learn anything from him?
Nice yaar. We did a few scenes together and the shoot passed away in no time. He is a chilled out guy and we had some very serious discussions. Sapna Pabbi, who is cast opposite me, pulled a few pranks on me and John. As for learning, the shoot was so small that it was too quick to learn from anyone.
Having seen some off-screen pictures of cast and crew, looks like it was really hot in Bhopal!
It was extremely hot and dry, to the point that it turned unbearable. So many times, so many people fainted on sets and got heat strokes. I used to have at least 4-5 litres of water every day. What made it difficult was the fact that most of the shoot was outdoors. Also with 50 people shooting for the scenes, even if you want, you can't go back to the vanity after every shot, because if the team takes even one minute to get all the 50 people again from their vanity vans, it would mean wasting 50 minutes before every shot. So you have to take the initiative to be available on the sets every time the direction team needs you.
If you were to write Bhopal Diaries, what would be some of the highlights you would include?
It was hectic from the word go. I don't remember anything apart from the story. It was a start to finish schedule, and that too in a differed city, so you can not take any chances. I made a few good friends, those I will be in touch with.
Tell us more about your character in Satra Ko Shaadi Hai
I play Naresh Sinhal, who is a regular Mumbai based IT professional. He is settled into his job and is of marriageable age. So he goes around looking for a girl and finds one called Suneha Garg (played by Sapna Pabbi) in Bhopal. The film is about the five days of wedding and how their match is at the mercy of a bunch of relatives.
So did the character of Naresh made you draw upon some of his memories and experiences from his working days as a IT professional?
The character does not have much detailing of an IT professional. It is about the five days of wedding madness.
How was it working with your new leading lady? Did you see 24, in which she was playing Anil Kapoor's daughter?
She was really nice. In fact the whole cast was — Harshvardhan Rane, Rahul Singh, Ekavali Khanna, Ridhima Sood among others. I did not see 24, but I saw her when she was acting with me, and she is good. As for Harsh and Rahul, we had a lot of boy time during the shoot. Nobody had any airs about them. While Rahul is into horse riding, Harsh is into photography. We got along like a house on fire.
Yes we saw some amazing pictures of yours taken by Harshvardhan...
Yes we went for a stroll as we had time to kill before a night shoot. So we were passing a golden field and there was this perfect light. So Harsh called for a camera, made me it down and pose. And after he was done, I just couldn't believe how good he was. He is brilliant.
A lot of local theatre talent has been cast in this film. Do you think theatre talent brings a different dimension to acting?
Totally. Being an actor in TV or movies is different. A film or TV actor, if put in theatre, won't know certain dimensions, while a theatre actor won't know certain things when he comes before the camera. So I think a film actor can learn emoting from this theatre counterpart, while the theatre actor can learn about camera techniques from the film actor.
Regret not doing theatre?
Not at all. I am happy the way I am.
Do we see you do a proper dance sequence in SKSH? Some of your co-stars have said that you are a pretty good dancer?
It's a full masti masala movie with the perfect doses of love and fight, so yes, it has dance sequences too. As for me being a good dancer, I am a bulls**t dancer. People who really love me, must be spreading rumours that am good. But yes, choreographer Punit Pathak was really sweet. We had one of the wedding sequences at night and he was giving instructions to everyone. So he came up to me and said, 'Bhai apki shaadi ho rahi hai, thoda to khush lag lo.'
What is your look for SKSH? Do we get to see you in a new avatar?
I dress exactly like a regular Mumbai guy. As regular people wear ethnic during weddings, so will I.
SKSH is about 'bit fat indian wedding'...something which you yourself did not get a chance to experience with Pashmeen. So how did you find the experience of all the rasams? Missing not doing it yourself in reality?
Shooting is very different from actually doing it. The shoot was as long and tiring like an Indian wedding. As for me, not at all. I am happy with the way we did it.
Do we get to see you in some bold scenes.
Not really. It is not about intimate relations, it is a whole family entertainer.
Your fans are expecting a lot from Satra Ko Shaadi Hai...
I am expecting a lot from every movie I am doing. In the last few years, I have done work, which is not good not bad. So I can't step up expectations from a film. I can just hope to do correct stuff rather than good or bad.
So what next after this shoot? Home or Kolkata for 22 Yards?
It has been around a week that we finished shooting. So am back home for now, and will resume the shoot of 22 Yards in a while.
Overall, which movie have you enjoyed shooting most — Main Aur Mr Right, 22 Yards or SKSH?
You can't say that, it is fundamentally wrong to rate a project. Each one was equally fun and difficult. They all have good content, so it will be unfair on my part to compare them.
Disappointed that your first project, Main Aur Mr Right, didn't turn out as expected and is still far from releasing?
I don't think like that. Whatever happens, happens for good.
What is happening with 22 Yards?
It is a long shoot and I have still got to shoot almost every sequence. Only 15% work has been done till now. It is not an easy film, we need to do country hopping for it. Also, the script has to be worked on a bit. By the end of the schedule that we are starting soon, almost 90% work should be done.
What are the other offers in your kitty?
I don't want to sound like a hot shot, so I will be honest. These are the only things I am doing now. When you have rubbish stuff coming your way, you have to let go.
So, we hear that your latest addiction is Candy Crush...
Yeah, I caught it from my wife. I am actually at level 356 now. Whenever I don't have anything to do, I play Candy Crush or Scrabble. We actors have time between shots, which we need to kill. And we cannot call friends or family as you are called at a moments notice. So you need to do something which you can dispose of immediately, when called for a shot.
How did you land this role?
The casting director of this film Jogi ji had auditioned me for some other film. The tapes were with him and he showed it to John and Shoojit sometime around February. They liked the tapes and finalized me. This was a one schedule film. So we started in March and finished it in around one and half months. Now we are just awaiting the release in the first quarter of next year.
So what made you take up a movie, with an ensemble cast...
The script was very nice. I liked it the very first time Arshad Syed (the director) read it to me. Right from the time I started out, I have just focused on the script and have associated myself with movies that are heavy on content, so that when people see I am starring in it, they know that it's a good movie.
But were you apprehensive, considering this is Arshad's first movie?
No it didn't concern me. If everybody had 100% record of hits and flops, there would have been no surprises. There's not one director with 100% success rate. You have to take your decision based on the content you are being considered for.
How was it working with John Abraham? Did you learn anything from him?
Nice yaar. We did a few scenes together and the shoot passed away in no time. He is a chilled out guy and we had some very serious discussions. Sapna Pabbi, who is cast opposite me, pulled a few pranks on me and John. As for learning, the shoot was so small that it was too quick to learn from anyone.
Having seen some off-screen pictures of cast and crew, looks like it was really hot in Bhopal!
It was extremely hot and dry, to the point that it turned unbearable. So many times, so many people fainted on sets and got heat strokes. I used to have at least 4-5 litres of water every day. What made it difficult was the fact that most of the shoot was outdoors. Also with 50 people shooting for the scenes, even if you want, you can't go back to the vanity after every shot, because if the team takes even one minute to get all the 50 people again from their vanity vans, it would mean wasting 50 minutes before every shot. So you have to take the initiative to be available on the sets every time the direction team needs you.
If you were to write Bhopal Diaries, what would be some of the highlights you would include?
It was hectic from the word go. I don't remember anything apart from the story. It was a start to finish schedule, and that too in a differed city, so you can not take any chances. I made a few good friends, those I will be in touch with.
Tell us more about your character in Satra Ko Shaadi Hai
I play Naresh Sinhal, who is a regular Mumbai based IT professional. He is settled into his job and is of marriageable age. So he goes around looking for a girl and finds one called Suneha Garg (played by Sapna Pabbi) in Bhopal. The film is about the five days of wedding and how their match is at the mercy of a bunch of relatives.
So did the character of Naresh made you draw upon some of his memories and experiences from his working days as a IT professional?
The character does not have much detailing of an IT professional. It is about the five days of wedding madness.
How was it working with your new leading lady? Did you see 24, in which she was playing Anil Kapoor's daughter?
She was really nice. In fact the whole cast was — Harshvardhan Rane, Rahul Singh, Ekavali Khanna, Ridhima Sood among others. I did not see 24, but I saw her when she was acting with me, and she is good. As for Harsh and Rahul, we had a lot of boy time during the shoot. Nobody had any airs about them. While Rahul is into horse riding, Harsh is into photography. We got along like a house on fire.
Yes we saw some amazing pictures of yours taken by Harshvardhan...
Yes we went for a stroll as we had time to kill before a night shoot. So we were passing a golden field and there was this perfect light. So Harsh called for a camera, made me it down and pose. And after he was done, I just couldn't believe how good he was. He is brilliant.
A lot of local theatre talent has been cast in this film. Do you think theatre talent brings a different dimension to acting?
Totally. Being an actor in TV or movies is different. A film or TV actor, if put in theatre, won't know certain dimensions, while a theatre actor won't know certain things when he comes before the camera. So I think a film actor can learn emoting from this theatre counterpart, while the theatre actor can learn about camera techniques from the film actor.
Regret not doing theatre?
Not at all. I am happy the way I am.
Do we see you do a proper dance sequence in SKSH? Some of your co-stars have said that you are a pretty good dancer?
It's a full masti masala movie with the perfect doses of love and fight, so yes, it has dance sequences too. As for me being a good dancer, I am a bulls**t dancer. People who really love me, must be spreading rumours that am good. But yes, choreographer Punit Pathak was really sweet. We had one of the wedding sequences at night and he was giving instructions to everyone. So he came up to me and said, 'Bhai apki shaadi ho rahi hai, thoda to khush lag lo.'
What is your look for SKSH? Do we get to see you in a new avatar?
I dress exactly like a regular Mumbai guy. As regular people wear ethnic during weddings, so will I.
SKSH is about 'bit fat indian wedding'...something which you yourself did not get a chance to experience with Pashmeen. So how did you find the experience of all the rasams? Missing not doing it yourself in reality?
Shooting is very different from actually doing it. The shoot was as long and tiring like an Indian wedding. As for me, not at all. I am happy with the way we did it.
Do we get to see you in some bold scenes.
Not really. It is not about intimate relations, it is a whole family entertainer.
Your fans are expecting a lot from Satra Ko Shaadi Hai...
I am expecting a lot from every movie I am doing. In the last few years, I have done work, which is not good not bad. So I can't step up expectations from a film. I can just hope to do correct stuff rather than good or bad.
So what next after this shoot? Home or Kolkata for 22 Yards?
It has been around a week that we finished shooting. So am back home for now, and will resume the shoot of 22 Yards in a while.
Overall, which movie have you enjoyed shooting most — Main Aur Mr Right, 22 Yards or SKSH?
You can't say that, it is fundamentally wrong to rate a project. Each one was equally fun and difficult. They all have good content, so it will be unfair on my part to compare them.
Disappointed that your first project, Main Aur Mr Right, didn't turn out as expected and is still far from releasing?
I don't think like that. Whatever happens, happens for good.
What is happening with 22 Yards?
It is a long shoot and I have still got to shoot almost every sequence. Only 15% work has been done till now. It is not an easy film, we need to do country hopping for it. Also, the script has to be worked on a bit. By the end of the schedule that we are starting soon, almost 90% work should be done.
What are the other offers in your kitty?
I don't want to sound like a hot shot, so I will be honest. These are the only things I am doing now. When you have rubbish stuff coming your way, you have to let go.
So, we hear that your latest addiction is Candy Crush...
Yeah, I caught it from my wife. I am actually at level 356 now. Whenever I don't have anything to do, I play Candy Crush or Scrabble. We actors have time between shots, which we need to kill. And we cannot call friends or family as you are called at a moments notice. So you need to do something which you can dispose of immediately, when called for a shot.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Barun-Sobti-Just-finished-shooting-for-John-Abraham-and-Shoojit-Sircars-Satra-Ko-Shaadi-Hai-/articleshow/35152980.cms?
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