- 6/4/2025
Mumbai: During an exclusive conversation with Actor Tanuj Virwani, where he opened up about his new web series Rana Naidu and working experience with Legendary actor Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh. Then, he shared his experience on the show, saying the writing is strong and every character adds value. After that, Tanuj talked about his character Chirag, saying he's pivotal to the storyline. He also opened up about nepotism, stating he's never used his mother's fame to get ahead. At last, Tanuj mentioned his upcoming projects, including a crime thriller and a love story, and conveyed a message to his fans.
#TanujVirwani #RanaNaidu #RanaDaggubati #Venkatesh #WebSeries #Chirag #CrimeThriller #Nepotism #ExclusiveInterview #Trending #BollywoodNews #BollywoodGossips #BollywoodUpdates #BollywoodNews #Bollywood #Bollywoodcelebrity #BollywoodHindiNews #IANS
#TanujVirwani #RanaNaidu #RanaDaggubati #Venkatesh #WebSeries #Chirag #CrimeThriller #Nepotism #ExclusiveInterview #Trending #BollywoodNews #BollywoodGossips #BollywoodUpdates #BollywoodNews #Bollywood #Bollywoodcelebrity #BollywoodHindiNews #IANS
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FunTranscript
00:00Thank you so much for having me here.
00:05First of all, do you want to know what reason to do Rana Naidu?
00:13Actually, the fact is that I am a big fan of the first season.
00:17And I am a Karan Anshuman, who is Rana Naidu and Inside Edge showrunner.
00:22He was telling me to write something about me and make me a part of this world.
00:26I would be very very grateful and very happy.
00:28So, we are always talking about Rana Naidu because we know each other from a lot of years.
00:32I have known him since 2016 now.
00:35Then suddenly, he called me and told me,
00:38I am actually writing something for you.
00:40Just come in and meet me.
00:42I went and met him.
00:44He gave me a little narration.
00:46He gave me some knowledge about the character.
00:49And I loved it. We shook hands and here I am.
00:53Sir, your character is Chirag.
00:56How pivotal is that?
00:58Do you genuinely believe that without your story?
01:02Yeah, I don't know that.
01:04Honestly, the most pivotal is Rana Naidu because they are the main leads.
01:10But what is it that in the world of the web series,
01:14I think all the supporting characters, secondary characters,
01:18they keep a lot of meaning.
01:20It is an 8 episode show.
01:22So, in my opinion, my track is in the first 4 episodes.
01:26So, of course, it is very very important to the story.
01:30No, I am not doing it.
01:32It is a simple thing.
01:34It doesn't mean that I have a lot of scenes.
01:36But in my scene, how does that propel the story ahead?
01:40How important is my character to the overall development of the show?
01:43That is very important.
01:44So, I definitely feel it is important.
01:46Do you think Rana and Vanketasia is the big name?
01:49Do you think Rana and Vanketasia is the big name of the show?
01:52See, it is not overshadowed.
01:54Because, of course, when Rana Naidu's name is Rana Naidu,
01:56so, of course, we are going to see those two amazing gentlemen
01:59who have done exceedingly well in the first season.
02:02And I can say with full confidence that they have done better in this season.
02:06But having said that, we are all here to kind of help them, aid them,
02:11and add a little more of glamour and some more colourful characters to the entire thing.
02:16So, I don't think anyone will overshadow anyone.
02:19The script is so strong, it has been created so well.
02:24I feel that every character, whether it comes to one scene,
02:27whether it comes to five episodes,
02:29I think they will all add value to the entire series.
02:33Sir, OTT shows, you know, the characters have been told
02:38about the film's attention.
02:42In the film, we saw the first film in the film,
02:45and in the 2017-2018,
02:47and in the 2017-2018,
02:48you know, the character's name is a comedy,
02:51or a villain,
02:54and you know, the character's name is the character.
02:56So, what do you think about the characters?
02:57What do you think about the characters?
03:01I think, yeah.
03:02I think, at some point,
03:03I don't say anything about your thoughts.
03:05But,
03:06the trends are changing.
03:07I don't think this is just an OTT versus film comparison.
03:09I think,
03:10by changing the time,
03:12the cinema and storytelling are changing.
03:14And,
03:15I think,
03:16because I have worked in films,
03:17and obviously,
03:18I have worked on the OTT space as well,
03:20I think,
03:21that filmmaking is more and more
03:22a director's medium,
03:23but in the OTT space,
03:24it is more and more a writer's medium.
03:25Sometimes,
03:26it has happened to me,
03:27like inside the show,
03:28there were three different directors
03:29per season.
03:30So,
03:31it is more of a writer's show.
03:32So,
03:33I think,
03:34if writing is strong,
03:35then,
03:36the characters,
03:37sometimes,
03:38they are larger than life.
03:39If you look at sacred games
03:40or
03:41Mirzapur,
03:42some of the characters can come across as
03:44larger than life.
03:45There are some shows
03:46where it is very realistic,
03:47like,
03:48it differs from show to show.
03:51So,
03:52as long as the storytelling is good,
03:54and the audience keeps the audience
03:56and keeps the audience entertained,
03:58I think,
03:59I mean,
04:00larger than life,
04:01realistic,
04:02but definitely,
04:04trends change.
04:05Like,
04:06in 2017,
04:07when Inside Edge
04:08was the first season,
04:09the market place was very different.
04:11Now,
04:12in 2025,
04:13the market place has evolved
04:15and it has turned into something different.
04:16So,
04:17we have to respond depending on the audience,
04:19because at the end of the day,
04:20we are serving the audience.
04:21Simple thing.
04:22Inside Edge,
04:23CodeM,
04:24CodeM,
04:25and
04:26One Night Stand,
04:27your image became a little
04:28intense and bold.
04:29So,
04:30do you think,
04:31in the industry,
04:32you don't fit in the gray zone?
04:33No,
04:34I think,
04:35I consciously,
04:36I see that if I have
04:37One Night Stand,
04:38Inside Edge,
04:39CodeM,
04:40because I think CodeM was more
04:41Jennifer's show,
04:42and I don't think it was a very bold
04:43or intense role.
04:44But definitely,
04:45Cartel,
04:46Inside Edge,
04:47after this,
04:48after this,
04:49it's my responsibility,
04:50for my own career,
04:51and I will do different roles.
04:53That's why I did an outright comedy
04:56for Gio in the shape of Bajau,
04:58with Raftar and Sahil Khattar.
05:00After that,
05:01I have been part of Murshid,
05:03where, again,
05:04it's a very different sort of character.
05:05This year,
05:06after all the releases,
05:07they are different.
05:08So,
05:09I don't think it's a gray zone,
05:10but I feel that audiences,
05:12especially in the web series,
05:14they like watching a little intense,
05:18gripping,
05:19crime thrillers,
05:20you know,
05:21underworld sagas,
05:22these sort of materials.
05:23At the end of the day,
05:24we work for the audience,
05:25so,
05:26if they have light material,
05:28then we will publish light material.
05:30If they have horror,
05:31then we will give that.
05:32So,
05:33we are very reactionary.
05:34Sir,
05:35Vengitesh,
05:36sir,
05:37Rana Dugabati,
05:38did you work with legends
05:39or motivating?
05:40Did you think it's a
05:42just as well?
05:43No,
05:44no,
05:45I don't think it was intimidating.
05:46Luckily,
05:47for me,
05:48whether it's inside edge
05:49or cartel,
05:50there are also very big
05:52actors,
05:53whether it's in the web,
05:54in the film,
05:55in the television,
05:56in the theatre.
05:57So,
05:58I was not overwhelmed,
05:59honestly,
06:00because I've gotten a little used to it.
06:01I'm also working in this industry.
06:03But,
06:04definitely,
06:05it's very exciting.
06:06And,
06:07you want to be able to
06:09collaborate with them.
06:11You don't want to be.
06:12Because,
06:13they are so effortless
06:14and they have been doing this
06:15in such a long time.
06:16So,
06:17you also want to be very well prepared
06:18and,
06:19I think,
06:20as much as I am,
06:21as much as I am,
06:22as much as I am,
06:23as much as I am,
06:24as much as I am,
06:25as much as I am.
06:26I try and do that.
06:27Because,
06:28on set,
06:29I feel,
06:30as much as you are relaxed,
06:31the performance will be better.
06:32Otherwise,
06:33if you are stressed on set,
06:34then,
06:35you can't talk to the camera
06:36and that will transcend
06:37into your performance.
06:38But,
06:39whether they are Venkade sir,
06:41whether they are Rana,
06:42they were very,
06:43very welcoming.
06:44I was a newcomer
06:45because I was not a part of the first season.
06:47And,
06:48they were very,
06:49very warm,
06:50very welcoming.
06:51And,
06:52that gave us all the confidence.
06:53And,
06:54of course,
06:55because I was re-teaming with Karan and Chuman,
06:56who I have worked for so many years,
06:58so,
06:59it is a comfort level.
07:00And, even our other two directors,
07:01Abhai,
07:02as well as Supan Marma,
07:03were fantastic to work with.
07:04I,
07:05honestly,
07:06I enjoyed working on this show.
07:07I think a little bit of both.
07:08Definitely,
07:09when I worked with South,
07:10and then actors,
07:11and then technicians,
07:12and then technicians,
07:13I worked with one other project,
07:14with Trida Chaudhary.
07:15But,
07:16more and more,
07:17the crew,
07:18and technicians,
07:19are in South industry.
07:20And,
07:21I definitely feel,
07:22that,
07:23technically,
07:24it is very sound,
07:25but,
07:26it is very punctual,
07:27as well.
07:28And,
07:29I definitely feel,
07:31that,
07:32technically,
07:33it is very sound,
07:34but,
07:35it is very punctual,
07:36it is not a day,
07:37that,
07:38we have,
07:39you know,
07:4012 hours,
07:41and,
07:42we have,
07:43shot it nicely.
07:44So,
07:45I think,
07:46definitely,
07:47there are things,
07:48that,
07:49we can also learn,
07:50and imbibe from them.
07:51Not to say,
07:52that,
07:53people are unprofessional,
07:54or,
07:55not to say,
07:56people are unprofessional,
07:57or,
07:58but,
07:59definitely,
08:00they are,
08:01very,
08:02very,
08:03very particular.
08:04Sir,
08:05people say,
08:06that,
08:07nepo kids,
08:08everything is easy,
08:09but,
08:10what experience is,
08:12what experience is,
08:13and,
08:14is it very late,
08:15when the audience,
08:16accept or reject?
08:17So,
08:18first,
08:19this,
08:20nepotism,
08:21star kids,
08:22this conversation,
08:23I keep a little deep,
08:24simple thing,
08:25when I came to the industry,
08:27so,
08:28my last name is Virwani,
08:29and mommy's maiden name,
08:30Agni Hutri,
08:31and,
08:32I also did not go out of my way,
08:34to promote myself,
08:35as a star kid,
08:36or as,
08:37Rathi Agni Hutri's son,
08:38because,
08:39I am a little,
08:40and I wanted to make sure,
08:41that,
08:42either my successes,
08:43or my failures,
08:44I do it on my terms.
08:46This,
08:47nepotism,
08:48and all these terms,
08:49I think,
08:50after Kangana's infamous episode,
08:51on coffee with Karan,
08:52after that,
08:53all these things started,
08:55and,
08:56by then,
08:57I had already started doing,
08:58good and substantial work,
08:59in films,
09:00especially,
09:01in web series,
09:02so,
09:03no one points fingers,
09:04but,
09:05definitely,
09:06because,
09:07my first two,
09:08three films,
09:09one night stand,
09:10will not go to the box office,
09:11so,
09:12of course,
09:13after that,
09:14there is a little bit of difficulty,
09:16and,
09:17I feel,
09:18that,
09:19you learn a lot,
09:20and,
09:21that desperation,
09:23and,
09:24a will to succeed,
09:26grows,
09:27but,
09:28anything to do,
09:29with my mother,
09:30I,
09:31because,
09:32I have auditioned,
09:33and,
09:34if,
09:35they give me work,
09:36otherwise,
09:37I just keep working hard.
09:38Sir,
09:39do you have any feedback,
09:40from the industry,
09:41you expect more,
09:42or,
09:43from the industry,
09:44because,
09:45of course,
09:46I mean,
09:47there is a lot of pressure,
09:48in your first picture,
09:49of the release,
09:50of the time,
09:51many people support,
09:52but,
09:53unfortunately,
09:54in the box office,
09:55critically,
09:56or,
09:57the same people,
09:58suddenly,
09:59and,
10:00they will only come back,
10:01when the film starts doing well,
10:02or,
10:03your performance is,
10:04appreciated again,
10:05so,
10:06I don't really,
10:07pay much attention,
10:0825,
10:0926 years,
10:10when,
10:11my first picture came,
10:12of course,
10:13I was,
10:14a little more naive,
10:15in those days,
10:16I was a little immature,
10:17and,
10:18I didn't see the world,
10:19so,
10:20I did feel bad,
10:21but,
10:22after that,
10:23I think,
10:24whenever,
10:25the person,
10:26the journey,
10:27it is better for him,
10:28so,
10:29now,
10:30I just focus on the process,
10:31what people will say,
10:32what people will write,
10:33what will the audience,
10:34what will the feedback,
10:35we will see later,
10:36and,
10:37that's what I try and do,
10:38either one day,
10:39or,
10:40100 days,
10:41and,
10:42the results will follow,
10:43in time.
10:44Sir,
10:45when you are a fan of a show,
10:46and,
10:47then,
10:48it becomes a part,
10:49so,
10:50is the expectation,
10:51or pressure?
10:52I don't know,
10:53this is a very good question,
10:54but,
10:55definitely,
10:56I don't know,
10:57because,
10:58sometimes,
10:59I have to pinch myself,
11:00that,
11:01I am actually on Rana Naidu,
11:02you know,
11:03because,
11:04when this was the first season,
11:06so,
11:07I was genuinely fascinated,
11:08you know,
11:09I love the original,
11:10I love Ray Donovan,
11:11so,
11:12I was very eager,
11:13curious to see,
11:14that,
11:15our Bollywood style,
11:16Hindi film,
11:17remake,
11:18and,
11:19after some time,
11:20you have to just switch off,
11:21and be like,
11:22okay,
11:23Tanuj,
11:24I am here,
11:25but,
11:26my main job,
11:27is now starting,
11:28so,
11:29I need to give a good account of myself,
11:30and,
11:31if,
11:32it is so good,
11:33and,
11:34so,
11:35if,
11:36I will be overwhelmed,
11:37then,
11:38I will not be able to,
11:39you know,
11:40perform,
11:41adequately,
11:42so,
11:43yeah,
11:44keep it simple.
11:45Sir,
11:46I have to get you,
11:47I have to get you,
11:48what are the things,
11:49that you have seen in the first role,
11:51or,
11:52what do you think,
11:53the comfort zone is not,
11:54no,
11:55comfort zone is definitely not,
11:56I think,
11:57one thing that you have seen,
11:58is that,
11:59he is an urban character,
12:00and,
12:01I have a lot of people in my career,
12:02like,
12:03inside edge,
12:04cartel,
12:05I have a lot of urban characters,
12:06and illegal,
12:07I have played a lot of urban characters,
12:08but,
12:09that's where all the,
12:10similarities end,
12:11because,
12:12without getting into spoilers,
12:14I have approached this role,
12:16in a different way,
12:17in which,
12:18in which,
12:19in which,
12:20in which,
12:21in which,
12:22in which,
12:23everything,
12:24I have tried to do,
12:25a little differently.
12:26We are sitting in my house,
12:27in my house,
12:28so,
12:29I live in South Mumbai,
12:30and,
12:31I believe,
12:32that,
12:33some of the children,
12:35who,
12:36who,
12:37who,
12:38who,
12:39talk very slowly,
12:40you know,
12:41a different twang,
12:43accent,
12:44a different sort,
12:45so,
12:46I have tried to,
12:47incorporate that,
12:48and,
12:49use it for this character,
12:50because,
12:51I thought,
12:52that,
12:53he will suit this character,
12:54and,
12:55of course,
12:56I don't work alone,
12:57in these decisions,
12:58I have obviously,
12:59talked to my writer,
13:00and,
13:01after their permission,
13:02I decided to use that tone,
13:03you know,
13:04so,
13:05without getting into spoilers,
13:06that,
13:07that,
13:08my performance,
13:09will feel good.
13:11So,
13:12after Anand Raidu,
13:13I showed up for applause,
13:14a DAU,
13:15Domestic Anti-Terrorism Unit,
13:16it's a,
13:17Mumbai based,
13:18action,
13:19dhamakedar packed,
13:20crime thriller,
13:21I am a ACP director,
13:23and,
13:24Rahul Dev,
13:25also,
13:26I love working with him.
13:27There is a picture,
13:28for Saurav Varma,
13:29it's called,
13:30Johnny Jumper,
13:31Vijay Raj,
13:32Brijnarakal Raj,
13:33Zakir Hussain,
13:34and Sarina,
13:35I will look at the title role,
13:36and,
13:37as I was telling you,
13:38the film was,
13:39with Trida Chaudhary,
13:40there is a must picture,
13:41with a puppy love.
13:42It is,
13:43it is a,
13:44it is a South Indian film,
13:45which is made in Hindi.
13:46It's a very sweet love story.
13:47It's a rom-com,
13:48with Nikita Amboli,
13:49and Divya Agarwal,
13:50so,
13:51I am trying to do different work.
13:56I will just say thank you,
13:57because,
13:58because of your love,
13:59and support,
14:00I've been ticked 10,
14:0211, 12 years,
14:03in this industry,
14:04and,
14:05I would also choose that,
14:06in the future,
14:07Maybe I will host Splitsula, maybe I will work in a film or in a web series that I will entertain you and hopefully give you some nice quality content.
14:16Sir, the reality shows is that reality shows are stupid. So what do you think about Splitsula?
14:26Honestly, with the reality shows, I didn't have any relationship with Splitsula, so I was thinking about it.
14:34But I can say that at least something didn't happen in me when I was hosting Splitsula last year.
14:41It was a very clean process. And whatever you see, it remains like that.
14:47So I feel happy that the worthy winners eventually won and there is no favoritism and no scripting and all that because then it's not reality television.
14:55So, yeah. Thank you so much.