Most associate you as the face and anchor of Crime Patrol and as an actor for Balika Vadhu. These are two completely different genres. How has he helped you grow as an actor?
If I say that it did not help me, I will be a man who has no favors. Basically, both the programs are from different genres. Both the shows helped me a lot in terms of popularity and reach. Both were game changers in television. When Balika Vadhu came in 2008, Zip Zap camera angles and many changes were brand new in daily soaps. Scenes, dialogues, script, actors everything was good.
Crime Patrol was one of the most popular shows on the ‘Entertainment Channel’. No one thought that a crime show with disturbing scenes that really didn’t make people happy would be on an entertainment channel.
So, both were game changers in their own right, and luckily I was a part of both of them. I will always be grateful to both of them. From 2014, I only did Crime Patrol, but the show became so popular that I got attached to Crime Patrol only and missed many acting opportunities. People would say, “Who is Anup Soni? Oh, that Crime Patrol anchor.” People forgot that I am a trained actor. That I have a lot of work as an actor.
However, Crime Patrol gave me popularity; A name of my own People came to know me as Anoop Soni and not as a daily soap character.
This is also a small drawback of television, that you keep doing the same thing from every salon., I had never anchored before, but I worked on how I was going to present the show because I wanted to connect with the audience. I didn’t want it to be a sensationalist show where I am just an anchor glorifying crime. I had to speak real, so I worked on the style, how I’m going to speak, but once it’s popular, you’re not going to add anything else to that.
Television mein ek character set ho gaya hain. Logon ko pasand aa gaya. Uske baad grow nahin ho paate aap, Television doesn’t help you grow as an actor; It definitely helps you to increase your bank balance.
You are a graduate of the National School of Drama, and theater brought you to Mumbai. How have you adapted your theater expertise to acting for TV, films and OTT? What’s more enjoyable?
Whatever role you are going to play be it films, TV or OTT, preparation is all it takes. Your preparation for the character is the same; You’re going to put an equal amount of thought process, effort, and preparation into building that character. You know that on the highway you can go at a speed of 80 to 90 kmph; When you are driving in a market area, you know that you cannot go at 80 kmph. There are technical differences in all mediums. Aap aapne aap ko adapt kar lete hain us traffic kay hisaab sey,
Theater is a wide shot, and you can’t zoom in, but you have to maintain a certain sincerity with your performance.
What are you focusing on right now? Is it acting for theater or OTT series or films?
My first priority is films and OTT. There is a reason for that. I don’t want to sound dismissive of television. With all due respect, television has given me a lot. But, I am focusing only on films and OTT as I am not going to do the same things year after year. I am going to finish a web series or a film and then go on to work in another film or web series. There are different people, directors, looks, roles, atmosphere, co-actors; Hence the potential for growth is high. If you look at it from an actor’s point of view, The possibility of being successful is more on the vehicle, The main reason I am focusing on films and OTT is because I want variety. I want change. I want to look forward to my new roles, new directors; Then I will also learn something.
I also do stage, my play is always on – Ballygunge 1990.
Are you happy with your roles on OTT platforms, such as your film Khakee: The Bihar Chapter and Saas Bahu Achar Pvt. Ltd.?
I am very happy as far as the characters are concerned. At least people are seeing me in different avatars. I only do roles that I am happy to be a part of. Saas Bahu Pickles Pvt. Ltd., my character is a central character. In Khakee, I am playing one of the six important characters. However, every actor has a desire to get lead or bigger roles. In due course, this is my wish Lead roles in the story should also be considered, And I know that I can do this. For leads, they consider star value; But I know there will be major or central characters who will only suit me and come to me.
What are your other hobbies apart from acting? You have done a course in crime scene investigation.
That was during the lockdown, when we had a lot of time. Otherwise, my hobbies are watching movies, and I read a lot, especially biographies and biographies. Lots of non-fiction too.
Which are your favourites?
In biographies, I read all the big names, all the popular names including humanitarians, businessmen, actors, politicians and cricketers. Recently, I read Masters on Masters by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
The genre of cops and criminals has found a new life on OTT. But when you were presenting it on TV a few years ago, was the perception different?
Crime Patrol was a different kind of show. We try to recreate a fictional drama inspired by a case. It is clear that the police worked on the case and the culprit was finally caught. Now whether it took six months or two years, we had to show it all in a 40-minute episode. It does not allow us to show all the details such as whether the victim and witnesses cooperated or how many times they visited the police station. The special thing is that the police solved the matter.
Police is portrayed in a realistic manner on OTT. OTT stories are meant to be relatable; Those are more real life scenarios.
What are you working on at the moment?
There are two web series, whose roles are completely different from each other. Both are for major OTT platform, have good star cast and very well written. In one, I am playing a very ruthless person, which people have never seen me in. People will definitely be surprised to see me in such a role.
Ruthless as hero or villain?
Sure he’s not a nice guy, but you can’t say he’s a bad guy either. You will like him as a character. he is ruthless in the sense What is needed in life, what can be done, The second character is a nice guy, but with a lot of shades of grey.
There are two independent films that I have done. One is epilepsy. The second film is Kabir, which is a very interesting contemporary film. They are ready now. Shooting is over. I am very excited about both these films. In both, I am the main character. They should be out by the middle of the year.
You are married to actress Juhi Babbar. Have you both worked together in theater and other projects?
We have done a play called Begum Jaan. She has done two films and one web series so far. He has written, acted in, directed and produced a play. It’s like a solo performance. We exchange a lot of notes about our work. We discuss a lot.
do you learn from each other?
She reads out her script to me and we discuss roles. I read their scripts and give feedback. There are times when I have to shoot the next day and I read my script to him and I give him a voice whether I should present it this way or another. The director makes the final call, but he is happy to see that the actor has also done some preparation and interpretation of the role.
Would you like to share an interesting story about yourself?
Due to the huge popularity of Crime Patrol, people are sometimes missing me as an actor. I really want to tell the old and new generation filmmakers that I am the first National School of Drama actor. It is only a matter of time when people have a different perception about me as an actor.
Markets also sometimes guide the position. Like someone has an image. This whole image thing can be too much for an actor. An actor can play any kind of role. I often feel that I have not been fully explored as an actor. That’s why I keep doing plays. I get to play roles which are more varied and exciting.