I am single, let me enjoy it, says Pulkit Samrat

After a successful comic outing in Fukrey Returns, Pulkit Samrat is looking forward to his next, Veerey Ki Wedding, which is also in the fun space. A rom-com, it has Pulkit playing the title role (Veer), whose marriage becomes a tussle between his dad and the bride’s father. The actor, who is paired with Kriti Kharbanda in the film, feels the two make a nice jodi. “People are liking it. She looks great,” he gushes. In this freewheeling chat, Pulkit talks about his upcoming films, his take on love, and his vow to not be in a relationship till 2020...

The title of your film is similar to the one starring Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan. Don’t you think it would be confusing for the audiences?

It’s the maker’s call. I never got into it. I think they tried to discuss with (producer) Anilji (Kapoor), sort it out and come to a conclusion. I am not aware what happened, but both the films are definitely different. Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Swara Bhasker’s film also looks exciting. I am looking forward to it as well.

What is your movie about?

It’s all about a wedding, dance, music, fights, romance, and relationships. It is a masala film. I play Veer Arora — pyaar se sab Veerey bulate hai. He is a large-hearted guy and helps people who are in trouble. However, he gets into a difficult situation. He loves this girl and she loves him, too, but their fathers have a tussle with each other. They are crackpots and are always trying to be one up on the other. Beech mein dono ka pyaar nichod jaata hai! How they figure it out amongst themselves is what the film is about.

You are paired with Kriti Kharbanda for the first time. How was it working with her?

It was great. Why? Because Kriti looks great and our pairing is nice. People are appreciating it. 

Kriti Kharbanda is a very good dancer and a performer, so it was fun to do the scenes with her. When you get a co-star with whom you can do some give-and-take, it becomes like one of those lawn tennis matches where you give a great reply to a serve. That volley has been really good between us. She is quite a natural in front of the camera. That works for me because I try to be natural; I don’t rehearse much. I work on the character and then go on the set. Even if some new draft comes, I respond to it as a character. So, working with her was fun. Also, both of us are foodies — she would snatch food from me and vice versa on the sets!

While Fukrey Returns did well, your films before that — Sanam Re and Junooniyat — were not big hits...

(Cuts in) Let me correct you... Junooniyat didn’t work, but Sanam Re did quite well. It penetrated into the remote areas and people there connect me with Sanam Re more than Fukrey. I’d say I’ve had a fair innings. I’m happy I got to do different kinds of roles — romance, action, and even a satire in Bangistan. I got to work with Riteish Deshmukh in that, which was great. Now, besides Veerey Ki Wedding, I have a film called Three Storeys, where I got to work with Renukaji (Shahane). She’s a delight to watch. There’s a lot of give and take with her. Her smile and laughter are infectious. She smiles through her eyes. Then there is Richa (Chadha) with whom I share a great camaraderie.

Going ahead, what kind of roles would you like to do?

I’d love to play somebody with a split personality. It will be interesting. I also want to do a concept-based horror film, like The Conjuring where you don’t just see the faces of the ghosts, but how your brain is f****d with when there are supernatural elements. I’d also like to do a film based on dance. I love dancing, which I’ve been learning since childhood. I learnt Kathak till I was in the eighth standard, then I was a part of Vaibhavi Merchant and her sister Shruti’s Broadway kind of musical, Taj Express. We used to dance to 10-12 songs and I learnt a lot there. In Veerey Ki Wedding I’ve done Bachata dance, which is a slightly more free form of Salsa, but more sensual.

Digital medium is being talked about a lot these days. Are you open to doing a web series?

Why not? That’s a medium where storytelling is interesting. There are no censorship issues. The market is different and it is the millennials, the young crowd, that majorly watches it. A lot of international content is also available in this space. So, why not offer them something here? In fact, I recently did a special appearance in Zoya Akhtar’s web series, Made In Heaven. I wanted to work with her, and was offered a small part in it. I shot for it for four days. So, if something interesting comes up, I will jump on it.

Last two years saw you going through a low phase in your personal life — separation from your wife Shweta Rohira. How did you cope with it?

Yes, I was going through a separation, but that was not a major problem. It was the media coverage that became a problem for the families involved. But that’s over. It was a small period. Now, if something is written or said (about it), I ignore it. I don’t need to cope with it, I have coped with it for the longest time and I walked out of it. I am happy. I am single, let me enjoy it.

There were reports of you and Yami Gautam being in a relationship. Now, there are rumours of you and Kriti Kharbanda seeing each other...

Yami ke saath, Kriti ke saath... I don’t pay too much heed to these kinds of articles. They are part and parcel of the business. My affair is with one person — Varun Sharma. 

Nobody is writing about it — I’ve done two films with him! My focus is only on work. I would rather be written about for that.

What is your take on love now?

My take on love will always be the same. It can strike you any time. You cannot not fall in love. It’s not ki main kabhi pyaar nahi karunga, but I have made a small commitment to myself. I am not going to be in a relationship till at least Valentine’s Day 2020!