EXCLUSIVE - 'Aarya' actor Chandrachur Singh calls comparison with Shashi Tharoor as 'fun and amusing'

When the trailer for Hotstar Specials Aarya came out, everyone was excited to see Sushmita Sen back after a decade. But to their surprise, people witnessed a comeback from 90s heartthrob Chandrachur Singh as well. Yes, the Maachis star is also making his digital debut with Aarya which will be streamed from June 19, 2020, on Hotstar. Ahead of that, we caught up with Chandrachur for a chat wherein he spoke about the show, working with Sushmita finally and more.

Excerpts below...

What's going on your mind currently?

It's a very positive feeling and sometimes it gets overwhelming. The love, care and appreciation are coming from all forces, from family, friends and people on Instagram. Just started my Instagram account a few days ago. So there's a lot of goodwill, expectation and joy. I am just getting used to it, it's a nice feeling. 

I read somewhere that you auditioned for the role in Aarya. Was this your first ever audition?

No, I have auditioned a lot. Before I got a break with Gulzar Saab and Jaya Ji (Jaya Bachchan), I auditioned for a lot of films back then. But that was not the exception rather than the norm. I think ever since casting directors have come into the industry, there are more auditions taking place. The industry has changed a lot in the last 20 years and it has opened to a lot of merited people. The auditioning process has now become part of the culture. One does audition now. Ram wanted to take me and I am happy that he gave me the role. But the auditioning became a part of prerequisite which is now being accepted.

Internet is known for making memes from any new content that comes across. Your look has been compared to that of Shashi Tharoor. Have you come across those posts? What do you have to say about it?

Years ago media had compared me and Shashi Tharoor. So, it's fun and amusing. 

Everyone was waiting for Sushmita's comeback and when the trailer showed you also, the Internet lit up and even you became a talk of the town. How does it feel knowing that people who are the 90s kids are always in awe of stars who will be seen after a long time?

Everyone is pleasantly surprised. I am very surprised that there's so much of outpouring of goodwill which has come. I have been so busy with the press and giving interviews that I didn't have time to sit and go through all the messages. I have been getting so many phone calls from my family and friends. Instagram is a new thing for me so my son is helping me to basically. I have to learn a lot of stuff and operate it properly.

Talking about Aarya, do you recall your first instant reaction on being approached and reading the script?

Working with Ram was exciting as I have always liked his work. Whatever work he has done in Neerja and I have seen Let's Talk also. Have enjoyed watching both films. Also, the fact that I was supposed to work with Sushmita many years ago and it happened now with Aarya. I never got to know that I will be working with Sushmita until I reached acting workshops. I was in Dehradun for my son's admission process in a film school. When I returned to Mumbai and met them I asked them who's in the show, then they said 'Sushmita Sen', I was taken aback. It is very unusual for that to happen at that particular time on that particular day. 

So when I reached Mumbai, from the airport I straight went to Mahalaxmi where the workshops were taking place. There I met Ram and that was the first time I was meeting him, it was a lovely meet. From there I went to an acting workshop where I participated. There I asked, "Are you sure Sushmita is doing the project?" So they said, "Yes, she is doing it." Then I recounted to them what happened, I got goosebumps. I had no idea Sushmita is doing Aarya at that time and it was a wonderful way to start the acting workshops.

You had earlier revealed about working with Sushmita before which did not happen. Did you discuss it with her?

Yes, we did speak of it once on the sets. We spoke on the first day when I said, 'Oh my god, we were supposed to be working then and now we are working finally'. So we were pretty happy about it because it finally succeeded. She is a wonderful artist and a wonderful human being. 

You had an unconventional debut with Maachis, so were you always choosy about your scripts?

I tried to be choosy when I can afford to be choosy. 

Before your digital debut, there were even reports of you making your television debut in 2016 with a mythological show. Do you remember that?

Yes, of course, I do. It didn't work out for some or the other reason. 

When you look back, how do you see your journey from Maachis to Aarya?

Fulfilling! To work in certain projects which has substance with an amazing team, it is fulfilling. Maachis will also be close to my heart because it's my first film, my birth in the film industry. I got recognition, love, appreciation and to work with Gulzar Saab, who is such a fine human being and a fine filmmaker. I think it has come in a full circle. Gulzar Saab has a positive and fantastic creative approach. With Aarya, life has come such a full circle with my birth in the new digital format. So fingers crossed, let's hop it is been appreciated and enjoyed as much as I did while working on it.