Samir Kochhar
A Candid Interview With Samir Kochhar
We all loved his character of a police officer in Jannat and we all love seeing him performing live in the IPL for many seasons now – Samir Kochhar is not an unknown face. He has come a long way and has made a niche for himself in the industry. He has proven his versatile ability by doing movies, reality shows and hosting live events.
Here are excerpts from an interview.
You’ve been in the industry for 10 years now. How has your journey been?
I am very thankful to my parents for letting me pursue the field I love the most. Initially, I struggled to start off in Mumbai, but now, I feel very happy and blessed and I’m looking forward to bigger and better things coming my way. I’m fortunate enough to have acted in movies, done fiction shows, hosted reality shows and learned the skill and craft of handling live television in IPL.
You are doing live television, you are hosting reality shows, as well as doing films. What do you enjoy the most?
I am an actor and that’s who I am. I moved from Delhi to Mumbai to act and I think that whatever I do, I do it in the form of an actor. For example, if I am doing live television, I am portraying the role of a sports broadcaster and I love portraying characters on camera. I really enjoy hosting as well – it is great to connect with people whether they are in front of you or watching you on television. I love both mediums and I love the fact that I have a choice and the chance to do both things together.
What is the basic difference?
I guess the basic difference is when you are playing a role you become something else and when you’re hosting, you are talking to many people at the same time. Your diction and the way you present yourself matters a lot while hosting. For example, if you are playing the character of a police officer which I played in Jannat, you have to get into the role of a police officer, unlike in anchoring, which is basically about addressing a large gathering of people.
You hail from a family of PHDs. Did anybody in the family object to your decision when you told them that you wanted to land up in Mumbai?
Not at all! In fact, they were the ones who encouraged me for all this. My parents, grandparents and my sister were always very encouraging. They said, “If you are interested in becoming an actor, you must pursue your dream.” I can’t thank my parents enough for being so open-minded and for seeing a certain spark in me.
How did you cope with all the challenges in Mumbai?
It was hard. I had nobody in Mumbai so whatever I had to do; I had to do it on my own. I had to find work, go for auditions and meet people, which was initially very hard. But there’s so much left which I still have to achieve in acting and in front of the camera. I have a very humble approach towards my work and I let my work do the talking.
Who did all stand by you while you were struggling?
There were quite a few people. There’ve been people whom I’ve gone to seek advice from, who have guided me along the way. My biggest strength in Mumbai is my wife whom I met around 8-9 years ago and she’s been there for me and motivated me all these years.
Are you enjoying fatherhood?
I don’t have really that much time to get into it because of the IPL, but whenever I get the time after my shoot, I spend time with my wife and my baby boy Kabir, so I am doing the best I can do – I’ve changed a few nappies for sure.
What is your fitness regime while you’re traveling?
I do as much cardio as I can in a day as I don’t get much time because of the tournament. I believe in eating right and getting as much sleep as I can. These are the three things I take care of. I do workouts that energize me.
Do you eat junk food or do you only focus on eating healthy food?
No, I do eat junk food once in a while. I don’t believe in eating only healthy food, I’m too Punjabi for that.
What is your fashion statement?
I keep it easy, I keep it understated and I keep it cool – I don’t like going over the top. The clothes I am wearing in this season of the IPL have got very overwhelming response – all thanks to my designers Gopika and Krishna.
Where do you shop the most, in Mumbai or anywhere else?
I am an impulsive shopper; I don’t have any particular destinations. I like to shop anywhere, everywhere.
Are you a brand conscious person?
No, I am not a brand conscious person, but I like to wear a few brands.
Do you have any director’s wish list you want to work with in the future?
There are so many of them, I can’t name any one, they are all good and I would love to work with all of them in the future – RajkumarHirani, Karan Johar, AnuragKashyap and many more, even the younger ones.
Is there any dream role?
No, there’s no dream role, there’s only a dream to be a part of good cinema. Any role that comes my way would be my dream role.
Do you believe in destiny?
Yes, I believe in destiny, I believe in the power of freewill. Whatever is destined to happen, will happen – just give your best.
What are your immediate projects?
My immediate projects would be finishing this tournament and then spending some quality time with my baby boy Kabir.
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