‘Getting the Urdu right was tough’
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Varun Tookrey
Varun Tookrey, who is playing a Pakistani army officer in the serial Qubool Hai, after the show takes a time leap, says that playing the character was quite tough given his Parsi heritage
Speaking Urdu was a herculean job for me,” says Varun Tookrey, who has been brought in to play a Pakistani army officer in Qubool Hai, after the show takes a time leap.
“Since I am a Parsi boy and my Hindi too is not very good, Surbhi (Surbhi Jyoti, who plays twin sisters Sanam and Seher in the show) helps me to pronounce certain words. Initially, she was hesitant to correct me as she was not sure whether I would like it or not. But I told her that she could correct me anytime and she does that. She is really grounded and working with her is indeed a pleasure,” adds Varun.
Luckily for Varun, the ice broke between him and Surbhi before their first shot. The actor recalls how hesitant he initially felt, when the production team told him they would all first go to Surbhi’s house, pick her up and then proceed to the studio to shoot the promos that would showcase his entry into the show. “Being a newcomer I wasn’t comfortable going to her house and even when we got there, I said I would wait in the car as she needed 10 minutes to get ready.” But Surbhi proved to be a warm host and insisted that he came in and got something to drink before they headed off to work. Her friendly attitude ensured that Varun was comfortable on sets from day one.
The actor, who was earlier seen in Uttaran, adds, “I had undergone multiple look tests (for Qubool Hai). After my very first audition, I was called five to six times for different ‘look tests’, uniform tests etc… I was told by the creative team to maintain the poise in my Urdu. I thus decided to stick to the calmness, etiquettes of the language that Urdu represents”.
He goes on, “My earlier outing in Uttaran was a brilliant learning experience. More than anything, TV works towards understanding the process of acting, I am from a modelling background... All my Uttaran co-actors are now my friends. Krutika Desai, who plays a mom, is like my mentor — friend, philosopher and guide. I was surprised that the senior/veteran would be by my side, guiding me at all times and would also be so friendly at the same time.”
Asked whether he would emerge as the parallel lead in Qubool Hai, he says, “All I can say right now is that I am not going away anytime soon. This is not a cameo role… People have loved me as a Pakistani army officer. My female fans love to see me in uniform. But I take these compliments with a pinch of salt, I do not allow them to get to my head. It is indeed gratifying but it also enables me to work harder and give out my best.”
“These days I literally do not get any time for myself,” he adds. “Last weekend, when I got a day off, I decided to shop and spend some time with my friends. However, owing to my tiring schedule, I just stayed indoors and lazed around. I am booked for 23 days in a month for this show, therefore I have no time.”
“I would love to work in films. I am keen on doing grey shades,” adds Varun. Asked if he was single, he says, “Not for a while.”
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