Actor Sunny Hinduja, who is once again enrapturing hearts with his show named Sandeep Bhaiya, a spin-off series of his character in TVF Aspirants, gets candid with The Pioneer about the character, how special ‘Sandeep Bhaiya’ is to him, and more.
Tejal Sinha
Enrapturing hearts with his performance is actor Sunny Hinduja. Why not? He has got that charm while playing any character that makes us all gripped to our seats. You may or may not know Sunny, but one can surely recall this strong, motivated person called Sandeep Bhaiya. Well, that was the character he played in TVF Aspirants, which brought him not only fame but also the love he has received for it, which is commendable.
With the love that he has received for the character, the actor is seen in the web series with the same name, Sandeep Bhaiya, a spin-off series of his own. Inspired by his character in TVF Aspirants, which became a talking point for both audiences and critics, the makers decided to bring out an all-new series based on the same. Sandeep Bhaiya is about the background of Sandeep’s character, highlighting his journey over the years. The character for sure has a special place in the TVF Aspirants actor hearts, and why not? “Sandeep Bhaiya has been the turning point in my career. It has given me so much love, and people say they’ve got so much motivation. In fact, I was motivated by their love. That role has helped me have my own ‘mulyankan’ and has made me believe in myself; the kind of values that Sandeep used to carry, though I used to believe in them earlier, have now come to a practical level.”
It definitely takes a lot of effort and hard work for an actor to play a character in such a way that they are known by the role they play on screen. It’s been a win-win moment for Sunny too. With the love that he has received for the character, he has equivalently received the same for the show. Having received such immense love from the audience for the show, he says, “It’s the same character, actually, but you get to see another aspect of the character. In Aspirants, he had this one aspect, his hard work and passion towards achieving and becoming an IAS officer, and then you also see another angle of his family, the financial issues. You then get to see how he is coping with these situations, how he is taking up all these things, and how he is coming back to life. It’s a very deep emotion that one goes through within themselves—how he is facing his family, how he is facing his fiance, who has been waiting for him for years. It’s all about his inner journey and how he is now coming back because of how hope, determination, and hard work can make your life better. It’s a fight about never giving up, standing tall in such situations, and trying not to give up. I think I can relate to it so much because these things have happened in everybody’s life. Everyone goes through these phases, and they come up without giving much. This story focuses on never giving up.”
The show had initially begun with a thought and then slowly started developing it. He reveals there was some good, proper time that was taken to make the show. He shares, “I was told about the show when things were all ready, and I accepted it with open arms.”
He further recalls some exclusive anecdotes for us while working on the project: “There were many moments, but there was this particular moment that I was thinking to tell you (he giggles). The team was very dedicated, and I think everybody was so excited and loved the show and character Sandeep Bhaiya. I have worked on many series, but while working on this, there was this ‘apnapan, and the thing that I want to say is that there was a lot of love. We’ve had several hectic schedules, and we’ve all worked really hard. Sunny also recalled being mobbed by fans in Allahabad. And people who were passing by in their cycles and scooters shouted, Sandeep Bhaiya! People used to come and take selfies, and I had 6-7 bodyguards, and they were like, “Sir, aap matt lo na pictures”, because it was getting difficult to handle them. I could only see pure love.”
He believes that now that he’s thought of working in the industry that he had while he was in 7th grade, that’s actually happening now. Be it Aspirants, the antagonist in Shehzada, or the web show, he says, “One word I would say is ‘gratifying’, and I think it’s an answer from the universe that I’m going on the right path. I’m loving the projects that are given to me or offered to me. There have been a very small percentage of people who follow their passion in terms of profession, and I am grateful to be one of them. I get a lot of motivation to better myself and outgrow myself with each performance.”
With his performance in several web shows, he’s become one of the most bankable actors in the OTT. Speaking of his stint working the platform, he says, “Well that’s very sweet of you. I didn’t know about it (we laughed out loud). OTT has been a boon for sure since it has opened opportunities for many people who have been craving them, and there is no better place to work if you have a choice. There are many talented people, be they writers, directors, or technicians, who haven’t gotten the opportunity they deserve, which they got through OTT. In OTT, apart from just the lead roles, you get to see some amazing characters as well. I have always opted for good roles and choices in whatever was offered to me. I can only choose from what has been offered and work hard to get where you want to go. Writers are the kings and roots of the industry. And they are the busiest ones.”
Being typecast in the industry has been a constant topic of discussion. However, Sunny, who is going to come up with Aspirants 2 super soon and is an actor who looks for the script and people associated with the project when choosing one, says, “I personally feel that be it in Shehzada or Sandeep Bhaiya, a lack of people dream to be there. I feel it’s the people who typecast themselves. If you play the character like it is, you’ll never be upset by that fact. Even if you get a villainous character, how different or unique are you playing it? You should play a character in such a way that people know that you can play any character. I just feel when I get a role, it’s an opportunity for me, and I should do justice.”
