Tanuj Virwani is currently seen in the popular web series Abhay 3 as Kabir. The web series, which stars Kunal Kemmu in the lead role, premiered on ZEE5 on April 8. In an exclusive chat with The Free Press Journal, Tanuj opens up about his role, co-stars and more.
Opening up about how he sees Kabir in Abhay 3, Tanuj shares, “The way I look at Kabir in Abhay 3 is that he is hopelessly in love and besotted by his girlfriend. He is somewhere aware that he was used as a bit of a doormat and how she makes him do crazy things. It was a very intriguing part, and the duality of the character is very chalk and cheese.”
When asked if he had any sense of insecurity as Kunal is headlining the series, Tanuj avers, “Absolutely not. Kunal is someone who has a certain body of work. I still remember sitting in Chandan Theatre and watching him as a child actor in Zakhm. He has carved a niche for himself, and also, he has made such a successful transition from films to the web space. For me, to be a part of Abhay 3 is an incredible feeling. Honestly, the pressure is on Kunal’s shoulders. I am just happy being along the ride. He was very gracious and giving as a co-star on the sets.”
He has been paired alongside Divya Agarwal in the show. Many feel her being a Bigg Boss OTT winner will help garner more eyeballs. “It is interesting since Divya and I collaborated on Cartel, and then she went on to win Bigg Boss OTT. I could see a lot of change in her. It will obviously have a positive impact on the show as well as our pairing since we haven’t been romantically paired before. She is the flavour of the season. She is crackling, and we bounce off each other’s energies,” he gushes.
As per Tanuj, the crime and thriller genre has been overdone on OTT. “The fact is that there are a lot of crime-thrillers being made, but the reason for that is it does well. At the end of the day, it is an industry and a business. If some genres are striking the right chord with audiences, then the makers will go ahead and make them. It does, at times, become a case of old wine in a new bottle. I am sure the pattern of audience taste also changes from time to time,” he explains.
When asked if a franchise model is a saving grace for the producers to encash on the recall value, Tanuj says, “To call it a saving grace is not accurate enough since a franchise is the result of the success of the characters and stories developed by the makers. In fact, the stakes and expectations are higher with each franchise season. Abhay is one of the best examples.”
On a parting note, Tanuj talks about how he went along with director Ken Ghosh’s vision for Abhay 3. “I go long back with Ken sir since I assisted him on Chance Pe Dance that starred Shahid Kapoor. I understand the way he works, and he is very giving as the director. He won’t instruct you, and he will mould your performance. He is very thorough and gives you mental mapping. It really helps me as an actor,” Tanuj concludes.
