Actor Samir Kochhar started off as a travel show host but he forayed into the world of mainstream entertainment with films like Zeher, Jannat and Hosuefull 3. Not only that, he has starred in some popular web shows like Sacred Games apart from being one of the most popular hosts of the pre-match Indian Premier League show, Extraaa Innings T20.
Samir recently appeared in the second season of Amazon Prime web series' Four More Shots Please! And his character of Shashank Bose, a lawyer, fetched him good reviews. In an exclusive chat with PeepingMoon, he got candid about the show’s success apart from revealing his choice of roles and how’s he’s spending time during lockdown:
You have done a lot of content on OTT like The Test Case, Sacred Games and the film Typewriter. Now you are back with Four More Shots Please. How are you taking to the digital medium?
I am thankful that I have been part of shows that have done very well. And for working with directors like Vikramaditya Motwane, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan and now Nupur Asthana in Four More Shots Please. As an actor, you don’t really sit and choose mediums, I look at the script and my role, what the overall story is and what is my part. And then I think if I want to do it or not. Having said this, this world is extremely exciting and there are so many interesting concepts that shows are being made on.
You started off as a travel show host and now you are working with A-list directors? How has your journey panned out?
I have been fortunate as I have been able to try aspects of being an actor, anchor and have done well shows. The critical thing is to choose right and take the right stuff and say now if need.
For Four more Shots Please, how was it to work in a female-led team, from the main cast to the director?
It was fantastic that I was part of the show about four women set in an urban city in India. I looked at the show’s popularity and liked my role, greyish sort of character and I wanted to turn it around. Someone who is not a serial offender but does it for the first time after being caught between the laws of attraction and he could not held back. And I really enjoyed working with Nupur, who cares for all her character. It was a female dominated set from the ADs to the cameraperson to all the associates. So when I entered on the first day of the set, I was like oh god so many women, but I would not change it for anything else.
Your character has been loved with the show being a success. A grey character with bold scenes, were you apprehensive about your part?
It was interesting to have somebody who is looking outside marriage. But we sat with Nupur and we chalked out how he was someone who could not hold back. Since he (my character) was such a good lawyer, he could say things with ease and the arc of the character was designed that when it comes out in the open, he parts away from the three-party scenario. But all of them were involved in the situation, like he was not in an open marriage and he lied about it, Kriti’s character knew the consequences but still got into it, and even the wife how it turned around since they were in a happy relationship. He does not do it all the time but couldn’t help himself.
I am happy with the show’s response specially on my social media with people saying fabulous things about Shashank Bose, asking why did you lie and all. So people are engaging with him during the quarantine. It was a popular show and season 2 has done well. I could not be happier.
How do you feel not hosting the IPL this season?
It feels strange as I have been hosting it for the last 13 years. It is such a fantastic part of my life. I am a sportsperson, I own a football team that I play with. So I don’t like the idea that I am not getting the chance to witness the tournament but what to do? Currently, nobody thought that our lives will be in quarantine like this. I am spending time with my family now.
How are you spending time in this lockdown period?
I am trying to catch a lot of shows and movies that I could not watch. I am entertaining my kids as they are also caught up like this for the first time. I do my gaming in the afternoon, trying my hand at cooking and catching up on life since I has been so busy earlier. Taking the days as they come, trying to exercise a lot too. Hopefully we get back to normal life soon.
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