After his breakthrough performance in ‘Farzi’, actor Bhuvan Arora is witnessing a change in the approach of the filmmakers towards him. The actor, who played Feroz in Amazon Prime Show, is getting accolades for stealing the thunder in Raj and DK show starring Shahid Kapoor in the lead role.
In this interview, he talks about his life as an actor after ‘Farzi’, his equation with Shahid Kapoor now, and what next he wants to do. Excerpts from the interview:
Q1. Firoz has been a breakout performance this year so far... Bhuvan, were you expecting this kind of feedback when you took this role?
Bhuvan: Actually, I believe Raj and DK sir held this belief more than I did. So they always told me that after this role, people would love me. And I believe they were confident in the product, particularly Firoz's part. They were extremely confident from the start. As a result, they always assured me that people would love me after this. This was always something that came out of their mouth. And they were always, always, always confident in me.
Q2. What’s your headspace like when you hear that audience say that in some of the scenes, you stole away the limelight from Shahid Kapoor?
Bhuvan: This doesn't really resonate with me. He actually stole the show, or she was the star of the show etc. I believe that each character is distinct, and that it is a collaborative medium for some people. They may have related more to Firoz's character, which is why they believe he stole the show. Some may have related to Mansoor's character, so they will say K.K. Sir stole the show. Some will say the same thing about Shahid bhai because they would have identified with Sunny's character more. As a result, everyone in general, i.e. different people, have different relationships with different characters. So I feel like the people who relate to Firoz's character the most, and I'm not complaining, are being kind enough to say that about me. But, you know, I'd like to think that every actor has contributed equally. Because, you can't make a good show without it.
And I also believe that some characters are heavily influenced by the author and have a high likeability factor. So, in this case, I believe Firoz is also supported by excellent writing. There are definitely scenes that belong to Firoz, and there are scenes that belong solely to Sunny. Of course, that is the beauty of good writing and cannot be devoted to one character in a show uniformly. So, there are Firoz scenes, Sunny scenes, and Mansoor scenes, and that's the beauty of it. Finally, some scenes are entirely dedicated to Minister Gahlot. For the show to work, I believe every actor must band together and give it their all. That is the highest compliment I can receive. And I'm fine as long as I'm getting love. But I don't like to get bogged down in jargon.
Q. 3) Would you like us to the time when you were offered this role and if you had any doubts about it ?
Bhuvan: So, when I was approached for this role, I already had a lot of experience playing the lead character's friends. So I was a little nervous at first, but Mr. Mukesh's casting company assured me that it was an important part and that I should audition for it. So I went ahead and auditioned because I have a great deal of faith in them. They obviously do excellent work. So, I auditioned, and obviously Raj and DK sir liked it because they called me back afterwards. And when I met them, they told me about the entire part and explained the significance of this part in the show. They also stated that they had been looking for an actor for months. And so, yes, that kind of reassured me that this is going to be a good part. And I had no doubts about it after that.
Q 4) Talking about working with Raj And Dk, they are known for their wackiness and humour so did that make your exp joyful while shooting? Would you like to talk about some of the memories from shooting?
Bhuvan: They're so entertaining! Not just on set, as with the characters they create for the screen. But off set too. They are simply brilliant and hilarious people. It's a lot of fun to be around them. And I keep telling them, "Ki aap mujhe apne paas set par yun hi baitha liya karo," because I enjoy spending time with them both. We were all staying in the same hotel, especially while filming Farzi. It was a COVID scenario. COVID was spreading everywhere, and we were all trapped in a bio bubble. And, for the most part, that's how we shot the entire show. As a result, we had become like family members every day. We'd go to the shoots together, then come home and eat dinner together, have many conversations, and sing songs together. I have so many happy memories from watching the show. I actually miss them now. I miss them terribly. And I hope we can start season two as soon as possible because I really want to be in that space again.
Q.5) Did you find a friend in shahid off the set too ? Are you two still in touch?
Bhuvan: I actually found an elder brother in Shahid bhai, and yes we do stay in touch.
Q6. How do you see your career graphed before and after Farzi ? and do you expect more prominence now?
Bhuvan: I believe that filmmakers' trust in me has grown and that they have recognized my potential as an actor. That has most definitely changed. More people are approaching me because they believe I can pull off something so monumental. So, I believe there is a distinct difference in my approach towards me now, and I believe this is entirely justified. Every product has to prove its worth before it can be sold. So I feel like I've earned people's trust, and now they want to cast me in bigger, meatier lead roles.
Q.7) The most beautiful compliment you have received from the industry or from the outside for Farzi
Bhuvan: Every day, I receive compliments, and I believe they are all equally important to me. I get a lot of messages, and I try to respond to all of them, but it's impossible to cover all of them of course. But I always give all my effort for the same. But, no matter what, every message that comes to me is equally special to me. Many of them are from film-people I admire, such as big directors and producers. They have reached out and expressed their gratitude. Those things, I believe, are extremely motivating and encouraging. Many film critics have said wonderful things about me, which I will treasure forever. I'll most likely download those videos and keep them. Obviously this is not my final project. I hope to do a lot more good work in the future, but this just means so much to me.
Q.8) What are you aiming for now after Farzi ?
Bhuvan: I want to do something completely different from Farzi, something in a different dimension, zone, and genre. And I intend to do so honestly and to achieve great things as a result. That's what I'm going for.
Q9. Anything else that you are working on and if ott is the space that you want to explore more in times to come considering the fame that it has given you?
Bhuvan: Yes, I've already shot a few projects that will be released this year, and there are many more that have been offered to me which I'm going to choose carefully because I also want to do justice to what's coming my way. I just want to make sure I'm not in a hurry and that I'm completely honest with my next. I'm not in a hurry to sign as many projects as possible just because people liked or recognized me in Farzi and are showing interest. I also need to be cautious about what I choose next because I believe it will backfire badly if I rush into it and choose anything or everything that is thrown at me. As a result, I believe that would be a poor choice. And I've been here for ten years, so why am I rushing now if I haven't been in a hurry before? I'm going to be very cautious about what I choose next.
