“I’m just lucky that Salman loves me too” – Pulkit Samrat.

Pulkit Samrat is an Indian film actor and model. He made his debut in Hindi cinema with Bittoo Boss and is best known for his role as Hunny in Fukrey. His upcoming films are ‘Veerey Ki Wedding’ and ‘3 Storeys’.

Q. So Kriti Karbanda complimented you when we asked her about you. She said you are a very technically sound actor… How about you? What do you feel about Kriti?

A. Kriti complimented me? Wow! Well she’s been fab. She looks great, she dances fab. When you get to work opposite someone who gives you so much to give back, it ends up being a win-win situation for both of us. Also, many are liking the pairing so that pretty much solves the problem! The guy and the girl looking good together!

Q. How is Kriti offscreen?

A. Offscreen? She’s a mad girl! She’s always talkative, an energetic on set, and off the set as well. The only time she would be quiet is when there is food in her mouth, bas… In fact that is what we all bonded over. We bonded over food!

Q. How difficult is it to survive in the industry without a ‘godfather’?

A. It’s always easy when you have blessings of your own father! My mother has also been a great strength behind me, for where I have reached today. Even if the entire world speaks against me, she will be standing with me. But if I do something wrong, then she will be the first one to throw a chapel at me.

Q. How did “Veerey Ki Wedding” begin?

A. Actually it already began before I came onboard. They already shot with Jimmy Sheryl and some other girl. There was apparently some issue with another actor, although it is not my territory to get into that so I never asked. I know Karan, the producer, for a while now and he also from Delhi. His father is like my father, so when he asked me to be a part of the film, I said yes right away.

Q. The trend of biopics is going on…. What is your reaction on that?

A. I am working very hard that someone someday makes a biopic on me (Jokingly)… But on a serious note, I would love to do a biopic on Rajesh Khanna Ji. I also share my birthday with him!

Q. Do you want to be become a star or a good actor?

A. I would focus on the core and the other peripheral things will follow. I don’t think anybody who started, be it Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Shahrukh Khan, were aiming to become stars. They all wanted to gain appreciation. You don’t get appreciated if your work is not good. There has to be some X-Factor in you. Something that connects with people. Plus hard work of course.

Q. So there are about 3-4 controversies, and gossip stories.  Just wanted to know the authenticity-

A. None of them are authentic (Laughs…)

Q. In regards to certain link-ups…. Which of your co-stars are you closest to.

A. (Smiling)…My greatest chemistry so far has been with Varun Sharma….So if you really want to create some gossip, then you can say ‘Varun ke saath’. People won’t even believe it.

Q. If you were offered a film on the lines of parallel cinema, or art house cinema, would you go for it?

A. I don’t understand the term Parallel cinema. Cinema is cinema, it can either be good or bad. There aren’t two lines running simultaneously. The overall market is the same. The goal is to win appreciation and earn money. Now due to more exposure via online platform, people are more open to see different things. So I think it’s just about good cinema now.

Q. We have two categories of actors like Varun Dhawan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, and then those who experiment, like Rajkummar Rao, Irffan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. What do you think of that?-

A. Everyone experiments at some level. Varun Dhawans upcoming film ‘Sui Dhaga’ is not something you would expect him to pick up. ‘Badlapur’ is not something you would expect him to pick up. But he’s creating the mold and making it work for himself. It’s like that for everyone. You may not expect Anushka to also do a “Sui Dhaga’ or a “NH 10′. Actually many times people create the perception of where someone else belongs, but everyone wants to experiment. Things also change. Maybe 5 years ago you wouldn’t have expected Akshay Kumar standing, holding a sanitary pad, and openly talking about it. But now he is. So now many would be open to trying new things.

Q. So there is ‘Veerey Ki Wedding’ and then ‘3 Storeys’… How happy are you with your journey so far?

A. I’m very happy. 3 stories is my 4th film with Excel Entertainment. I never imagined this. You know when I came to Bombay, people said you will get pushed around, and will have to stand outside the studio for ours, and struggle for a long period. When I reached Bombay, I did my first film, somebody watched a song from the film, and I get a call from the Excel office. When I reached Excel office the first day, I entered and saw that this is what a big shots office looks like. So that level of respect and that period I will never forget. From that day till today, I’ve only grown.

Q. So you’ve worked with a female director and nowadays many technicians are also girls. But still, there aren’t many female directors. Why do you feel so?

A. One of the finest directors in our country is ‘Zoya akhtar.’ She’s a gem! The only reason you see songs in her films is to commercialize it for our market. Her narrative is so international, and so smooth, that you connect with it. I haven’t seen any other director shutting off the background, and only showing the emotions. That happened in ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.” You feel for the characters at that time. So that narrative speaks for itself and it is not a gender based thing.

Q. What are your thoughts on Black Comedy.

A. I already did one black comedy called ‘Bangistan’ but we had to get rid of many things because of the censor board and the Indian sensibilities, so it ended up not working unfortunately. So now if I ever get a script for a black comedy, I would want it to go all out. Somehow, even though we have a censor board, we need to figure out a way to go all out! Only then it can work. The middle ground can never work. That comes across as being a confused product.

Q. There were rumors of a fallout between you and Salman Khan. Is that true or is this a lie?

A. That’s old but since then about 25 times he has tweeted for me, or he had promoted my film. For Fukrey he just happened to be at Mehboob and came to my set. Normally I would go to his set, and I wasn’t expecting that he would come to my set. Then he started talking about Fukrey. If Salman likes somebody’s work then he goes all out to support that. So there is no such fallout. There is a mutual respect and the entire country loves him. I’m just lucky that he loves me too.

Q. As an actor, do you believe in prepare a lot, or are you more spontaneous?

A. I believe in preparing for the character. I sit with the director,  we do the workshops, and then when I reach the set, I let the character do the job. This way, by chance, if something spontaneously or on the spot which isn’t planned ends up happening, I will still react natural and my character will respond to that. This is when the give and take, and spontaneous stuff happens. So if something is thrown at you, your aren’t stuck. You will react as the character. This is actually what happened in Fukrey a maximum amount of times.