Sunny Kaushal, the Punjabi lad, wanted to be a chartered accountant but lost his interest midway and then aspired to be an actor. After a long process of giving scores of auditions he finally got a chance to don the grease paint and face the arc lights, that too after passing an intense audition process with flying colours. Sunny Kaushal is now keeping his fingers and toes crossed for the release of his debut making film Sunshine Music Tours And Travels.
What made you to take a sudden décision to be an actor instead of a chartered accountant?
It was not a sudden decision. I was indeed a chartered accountant in the making but my heart was not into it. Its sounds cliched but I always wanted to do something creative. So even before my elder brother Vicky Kaushal made a debut as an actor with Masaan last year. I was also aspiring to be an actor. Besides my father Sham Kaushal is Bollywood’s famed action director.
How did you go about to make inroads in Bollywood to become an actor?
Just like any other struggling actor even I went through the whole grind of the intense auditioning process. Of late struggling actors do not have to go knocking on the doors of the varied production houses. Its the casting directors who decide the fate of a wannabe actor. Yes even I faced a whole lot of rejection and dejection, I also tried to pick up the ropes of filmmaking by being an assistant director for films like My Friend Pinto and Gunday, and I finally bagged my debut film. But the interesting part is that I never revealed my identity of hailing from a filmy family to anyone. Even Shailendra Sir came to know about me much later.
What’s your role in your debut film?
I enact the role of a small town orphaned boy from Kashmir. Who is working in a Dhabba as a boy who serves people. Out there a lot of English music is played because a lot of foreigners visit these Dhabbas. Gradually I fall for these English music and also come to know about the annual Sunburn (music and dance) Festival through the foreigners. Since then it becomes my dream to visit the Sunburn Festival in Goa. So I undertake the bus journey from Kashmir to Goa with 14 other strangers who in turn have their own dreams. My character named Sunburn is based on a real life incident.
How was it working with debutant director Shailendra Singh?
Honestly it was phenomenal. He is the best young at heart director that I have come across. His round the clock vibrant energy inspired me to give off my best. We travelled all the way from Kashmir to Goa. It was more of a mauj masti oriented picnic. To the extent that we became very nostalgic when it was all over. Moreover Shailendra Sir never gave us a script. He just had one script reading session with the entire cast, then explained a lot about our character in detail and then gave us a totally free hand to explore and improvise on our own.
To wrap it up some rapid fire queries for you. Who are your most favourite actors in Bollywood and Hollywood?
My most favourite actors in Bollywood are Anil Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. In Hollywood they are Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence. She reminds me so much of Alia Bhatt in all aspects and respects.
Your wishlist of Bollywood directors.
The list is long enough and exhaustive like Raju Hirani, Manish Sharma, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap, Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar to name just a few.
Your favourite Bollywood and Hollywood movies.
My all time favourite films in Bollywood are Pyaasa, Deewar, Rang De Basanti, 3 Idiots and of course my brother’s film Masaan. In Hollywood they are Godfather trilogy, Dog’s Day Afternoon, Silver Linining And Playbook, Grounded and Baby’s Day Out.
Your dream role if given a chance?
I am a big fan of Superhero films both in Hollywood and Bollywood. So if given a chance I would like to enact the role of any Supehero hands down.
