Actors have to be beggars, says Karan Kundra

The idiot box has given Karan millions of followers. Karan Kundra is one TV actor who has been seen a lot on TV but he has never been consistent with a particular kind or genre of shows on TV. Yet, he has managed to become a successful TV star, call it luck or just a haphazard play of events. Karan has done bits and pieces of it all- be it daily Soaps, judging, hosting, ensemble cast films, reality shows and now he is spreading his charm on the digital space. A self-proclaimed dreamer, Kundra believes there are not limitations or norms in life!
In an exclusive chat with , Karan Kundra spoke at length about his projects, his career as an actor and his attitude towards life.
The actor looked dapper in his blue suit, couple that with a chilled attitude and the elementary conversation which more often than not tends to become complex is plain sailing as it should be. Karan has his plates filled with work. The actor is very pepped about the fact that he has worked in all the mediums, quipped he, “I need a new medium now. I’m working on something of this kind which will be different, so let’s wait for it.”
So which medium satisfies the actor most? Karan had a quick response for the question, “as an actor, you don’t pick projects. Projects pick you. Look, actors have to be beggars. If you belong to that school of art, you’ll be taught to start things from the grassroots. Projects choose me, having said that I refuse projects as well. So, there’s no medium that satisfies me. As an actor you should not be bothered by the medium but the content. I’m very passionate about my work. I follow happiness!”
It has been said time and again that you cannot divert your attention to ten different things and if you do it, it leads you nowhere. This to a certain extant could be applied to Kundra’s case. He is all over the place currently which might lead to the loss of the actor’s charm. Playing with his fidget spinner, Karan reverted, “all these proverbs have been made for people who are scared. If you want to set an example for people to emulate, you have to do things that people can only dream of!” After a brief pause the hombre continued, “you have to give everything you have, to belong to that 1% of the population. These proverbs are made for the mass. If you want to be different, you can’t follow the rules.”
Karan has been part of a few shows and yet he tastes an immense popularity amongst the mass. We asked him about what he thought has clicked with the audience. Kundra in his casual demeanour replied, “I always quit at my peak. When I came to Bombay I used to get paid 3K per day and there were big stars of my age, who used to earn 25k. I had that urge to be them. I did a TV show and then I became one of the biggest actors on Indian TV thanks to Ekta Kapoor. But that’s where I quit.”
Karan with a smile and wink reaffirmed, “Thereafter, I attempted other things like Gumrah, Roadies and such. When Ekta ma’am called me, I returned to daily soaps and at that time I was the highest paid actor on TV. You cannot even imagine what I was charging per day, it was well over a Lakh. I was getting 3K when I came in Mumbai, then one day I was the highest paid actor. If I didn’t have the urge to earn 25k I would have faded away, because that time those stars didn’t have that urge and they vanished. I have thrown myself out whenever I get comfortable. I don’t want to do anything comfortable. So whenever I’ve thrown myself out of things I’ve come out stronger. That’s my philosophy and that makes people like me because they are left wanting for more of me.”
Talking about breaking the rules Kundra ended the conversation on a very intriguing note, “I was told that post 30 a TV actor’s career is over. I’m 32 and I’m doing my first big film, so I have just started.”
Karan will soon be seen in digital reality show Super Man, Smart Phone on VOOT.