His elder brother Vicky Kaushal has already established himself in Bollywood. It’s Sunny Kaushal's turn now. After being part of Sunshine Music Tours and Travels, and Gold, the actor is gearing up for the release of his solo lead — Bhangra Paa Le. It also stars Rukshar Dhillon and Shriya Pilgaonkar.
When we catch up with him and ask him if he’s nervous about the release, Sunny says he is but he is also excited because a lot of hard work has gone into the film. “I won’t deny that I am little scared. We have made this film with lots of love and want people to watch it,” he says.
The young actor says that being a Punjabi himself, he loved ‘how Punjabi the story was’. “It was a good opportunity for me to showcase the Bhangra and Punjabi culture. Also, I am playing a double role — Kaptaan, the grandfather and Jaggi the grandson. It’s not just a dance film but it connects two generations through Bhangra,” says the actor.
The Sneha Taurani directorial debut is releasing on January 3.
Because he is playing two diverse roles in the film, how did he prepare for them? “We first chalked out what Jaggi and Kaptaan will be like. During the readings, we tried to incorporate their characteristics because no way should people feel like they are the same kind of people. Their body language, mannerisms, the way they talk, is very different,” Sunny says, adding that while Kaptaan is a soft-spoken and naïve person, Jaggi has a certain arrogance and attitude.
He says that they had to practise Bhangra for several months to perfect their moves.
As discussion moves towards his filmy family, the pressure on him could be a little more because his brother Vicky is a superstar in the making and people will compare his acting, the films he chooses, and the fate of his projects to that of his brother. Sunny says that none of this plays on his mind. “The credit goes to our family because they never taught us to feel the pressure. We have been brought up in a certain manner and taught that it’s our own individual journey and our loved ones will be there to support us but at the end of the day, we have to create our mark. We have seen dad also working very hard,” he says.
He adds that it's a proud moment for the family to see Vicky reach a certain position. “But I never tell myself that I have to prove to the world that I am as good as him. I never think about how people will accept me. I have to show my individual personality,” he adds.
So does he get any advice from his action director father Sham Kaushal and brother Vicky? “Vicky never gives me any advice because we started our journeys almost together. He started assisting on Gangs on Wasseypur while I with My Friend Pinto. We have seen things together and formed opinions about them,” he says, adding, “We are in a creative field and what works for him, might not work for me and vice versa.”
But do the brothers discuss their scripts with each other so that they do not end up playing similar kind of characters or being part of the same genre. “Even if our projects overlap, it isn’t a problem because we are two different individuals. I have a different interpretation about life and so does Vicky,” says the actor.
As for his father, Sunny says the senior Kaushal has worked in the industry for 35 years and therefore seen it closely. “He has seen actors come, grow and go. His experience is valuable to us. If we need any advice, we go to him. When we started out, he told us, ‘be true to yourself’ and you have to work very hard to reach where you want to. The returns in this profession are high and that’s why it is so demanding,” says Sunny who will next be seen in Shiddat and Hurdang, which are very different from each other.
