Popular actor Tanuj Virwani has been in the industry for over a decade. The model-turned-actor is known for his role as Vayu Raghavan in the web series Inside Edge, Cartel', Code M, Masaba Masaba. He was also the host for MTV Splitsvilla 15. Despite being veteran actress Rati Agnihotri's son, he paved his way to success through hard work.
Needless to say, the perils of being a star kid come with a lot of expectations, and the young actor made his place in the eyes of the audience with a great body of roles that he did in OTT and films,
The actor is happily married and will soon be a father, adding another cute responsibility. Not many know that apart from being an actor, he is an ace cricketer, but recently the actor fractured his hands while playing the sport. But that hasn't stopped him from pursuing his dream of playing the sport and shooting. He truly stands by the phase in which work must go on.
In an exclusive conversation with International Business Times India, Tanuj Virwani spoke at length about his love story, what embracing fatherhood will feel like, cricket as his passion and last but not least, his films and OTT shows.
Excerpts:
Tell us about your love story with your wife, Tanya Jacob.
Tanya and I go back a really long way. We met back in 2017 and we hit off instantly. We gelled very well and the only thing was that she shifted to Singapore for a few years. But we kept in touch and all along, we discussed where this can go. But the most important thing is that we both were clear about what we wanted, the fact that we didn't want a long-distance relationship and things happened for us at the right time. In 2023, she moved in with me and shortly after that, we got engaged. And here we are, married and expecting our first child.
Who proposed first?
It was me who proposed. I mean, it wasn't like she was suddenly taken off-guard because we were having conversations and things were heading in that direction. But yes, it was me who popped up the question first.
In the era of speed dating and situations, what is your take on old-school romance?
I think there's no school like the old-school romance. If I am honest, I have been in all sorts of relationships. I have had flings, relationships everything. At different junctures of one's life, the meaning of relationship, love and companionship are very very different. I just felt at the cusp of turning 38 that what I expect from a relationship, what I expect from my marriage and partner is very different from what I expected 8 years back. Having said that, I am not a big fan of dating apps and speed dating. I feel it's important to take your time and get to know the person better. I feel that in the era of T-20s, just hustling it out and putting the right kind of effort like a Test cricket match has gone out of the window and I hope that comes back. It truly is wholesome and meaningful.
We see so many celebs separating and getting divorced. You recently got married. What are the things you suggest to keep their relationship or marriage strong?
I think mutual trust, transparency, and just knowing that you are there for each other in the capacity of a friend first and not just a love interest is very important. I don't understand why we need to see love, companionship and friendship in different people. Ideally, they should all be in the same person. So, if you have found it, you should hold onto it dearly, and nurture it. Every relationship goes through its highs and lows, ups and downs but I don't think separation or divorce is the solution until and unless both parties realize that there's no way out but that. I think we have become very 'trigger happy' as a community and society where it's either 'my way' or the 'highway'. In every relationship, there will be certain compromises and there will be certain things which weren't a part of the plan. But, if you love the person, you will find out a way. It's important to remember that we love our partner not 'because of' but 'inspite of'. That's what I feel.
Do you believe in PDA on social media or are you a private person in the relationship?
I mean to each their own. There are couples who believe in a lot of PDA in real life also and there are couples who are very private. It's good to show some affection and at the same time be very supportive especially because I am an actor and hence I really need to put myself out there. I guess most of my social media, about 20-25% is personal and the remaining is professional. It's very nice to see how my wife shows support towards all of that. Having said that, I also do believe that there's a line and I believe things like bedroom conversations or other stuff should not spill over in such a way that the entire world can see. You need to strike the right balance. But like I said earlier, to each its own.
You injured yourself badly, what happened?
Yes, I mean I am still recovering now as we speak. I was playing cricket. As many of my fans know, I love playing outdoors. It was just another day in the park. Unfortunately, I slipped and fell directly onto my left shoulder and broke my collarbone in the process. I had to be rushed for an emergency surgery and I had to put some metal onto my left shoulder. There was also a lot of tearing of my ligaments. So, it's going to take a while now before things get normal. Currently, I have my arm in a sling and there's a lot of physio training happening. So, yes, you gotta bear it and be positive about the whole thing.
How soon can we see you shooting?
That's a good question. Well, as of now, I need to have my arm in a sling for a couple of weeks after which the physiotherapy gets a lot more intense. The doctors are saying that after a couple of months, I should be able to have my basic movements back and stuff. Nothing too hectic but basic and after 4-5 months, the metal plate will be extracted from my left shoulder once full recovery hopefully has been made. It's going to be a while. The good thing is that there's a lot to look forward to. I have a baby on the way and have some interesting releases too. So, I am looking forward to utilising this downtime as a nice way of evolving as a person, and as an actor and emerging stronger from it.
You are soon going to embrace fatherhood? How does it feel?
I am extremely excited and really looking forward to it. Ever since the moment we got to know that we are pregnant, it's been a really amazing time of learning. You hear so many of your friends going through pregnancy etc before and you feel happy but when the same happens to you yourself, it's a completely different feeling altogether. Both of us are extremely looking forward to it. There's a lot of preparation going on and you need to study a lot of things to be as well prepared as you possibly can. This is because when the moment rightfully comes, you can fully embrace it, and enjoy yourself instead of stressing out. So, that's what the plan is.
How has your mother reacted to your marriage and becoming a father?
My mom is very excited and happy that I am going to be a dad soon and she is going to be a grandmom soon. She has been after my life for a while now to get me married. I think the time when she was telling me all this, within the same year, I got married and now, not just my mom, but also my dad and our entire family are looking forward to welcoming our little 'bundle of joy'.
What has changed in Tanuj after marriage?
I think the one thing that has changed the most is that sense of responsibility that you are no longer living just for yourself. Of course before Tanya as well, I was living for my family. We are a very small family with just my mom and dad. I don't have siblings. But now, I know that my actions aren't just responsible for my mom and dad but also for Tanya and my little baby. I think it empowers you and with power, comes responsibility. You see yourself transform from a boy to a man and it's just happening very beautifully, and effortlessly in front of your eyes. It's a beautiful feeling and I highly recommend this to every young guy out there.
What next?
Next is Murshid on ZEE5 with Kay Kay Menon and I am very excited about that. It's coming out on the 30th of August. Next, I have this very quirky film called 'Johnny Jumper' directed by Saurabh Varma who earlier directed 'Mickey Virus'. The project also stars Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kalra, Zakir Hussain and Zarina Wahab. That should be out in a couple of months. I also have an Applause show called 'DAU Mumbai' which stands for 'Domestic Anti-Terrorist Unit Mumbai' and has Rahul Dev. There's also this rom-com that's tentatively titled 'Puppy Love' with Tridha Choudhary, Divya Agarwal and Nikki Tamboli. I am also currently shooting for the second season of 'Rana Naidu' with Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh sir, and Surveen Chawla amongst others. So yes, I'm looking forward to some interesting work.
