The comedy journey: Why Saanand ‘likes it’

VERMA DISCUSSES THE KEY TO GREAT ACTING AND HIS POPULAR SHOW

by ASJAD NAZIR

TALENTED Indian actor Saanand Verma has risen up from humble beginnings through hard work, to successfully balance a career in films and television.

His biggest success has been a key role in smash hit sitcom Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain, which has been successfully running for nearly six years and clocked up well over 1,400 episodes. The loveable actor’s natural flair for comedy has entertained different generations and put smiles on the faces of audiences around the world.

Eastern Eye caught up with Saanand Verma to discuss acting, secrets of a great comedy performance and the massively popular Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain.

You are a versatile actor. How do you approach each role?

Being able to get rid of oneself is the best part of being an actor. I am an actor who tries to surrender himself completely and be just the body. I don’t want to keep any soul or even Saanand Verma inside me, so I can easily get into any character. If there is no original self then any character, behaviour or personality can be easily taken over by the actor. So, it is like meditation where you can forget yourself. An actor can meditate all the time, forget about everything and concentrate on the character he is working on. That is the most loveable and exciting thing for me as an actor.

What has the experience of being on Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain been like?

The experience of being Anokhelal Saxena on this amazing show has been wonderfully memorable. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I have enjoyed every bit of it. I am looking forward to enjoying it even more and would like to be a part of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain till its last episode. I am emotionally attached to Anokhelal Saxena. It’s a wonderful, very unusual and unique character. Audiences just wait for him to come on-screen. So, it’s the greatest character I have played in my career. I am very grateful to the show, its director Shashank Bali, writer Manoj Santoshi, and super producers Binaifer and Sanjay Kohli.

Why do you think the show is so loved by audiences?

It has a very unique concept of two neighbours liking one another’s wives and great comedy. The various characters connect with different age groups and backgrounds. For example, Anita and Vibhuti connect with upper class people, whereas the middle class relates to Angoori Bhabi and Tiwari ji. Children connect with Saxena, others love Happu Singh’s language and so on. Every type of element is there in our show. Saxena connects with normal human beings and like them keeps smiling through problems. Everyone works hard to make the show a hit.

What has been the most memorable part of your journey with Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain been?

The entire journey has been memorable because my character and his world-famous dialogues, including “I like it”, have become a part of so many households. When he is in any painful situation, rather than crying he says, “I like it”. This is very unusual and unique about this extremely loveable and adorable character, which has gifted me so many memories. It will stay with me till my last breath.

What according to you is the secret to a great comedy performance?

Comic timing and understanding of your environment are key to a comedy performance. Comic timing is about taking the right pauses and choosing correct moments to deliver a knockout comedy punch. Comic timing comes with experience and having a great sense of humour. Understanding your environment means knowing the different characters around you and their importance. Those surrounding characters enhance any laughter, so you need to grab, understand and assimilate them into a performance. It is about feeling, interaction, reaction and punch lines to make a comedy scene work.

Are you under pressure to be funny in real life?

(Laughs) To be honest, I never feel pressure and have lost myself as a person to all the characters I have to portray. So, I am very unpredictable and keep on changing myself regularly, including how I speak and walk. So, nobody pressurises me because I am a person who doesn’t have any personality.

Who is your comedy hero?

Peter Sellers is my role model when it comes to comedy. I must have seen his Pink Panther movies hundreds of times.

What do you enjoy watching as an audience member?

I enjoy watching crime drama and thriller movies like The Godfather.

What can we expect next from you?

I have done a movie called Helmet, which has been produced by Dino Morea and stars Aparshakti Khurana. I play a very interesting character in the film. It is all about contraception and how people are still hesitant or feel ashamed to buy condoms or contraceptive pills from the chemist. Chemists can also give a weird look to a customer. I play the role of that chemist. I had got a great response for the web series Apharan and will be returning for season two, which I am excited about. There were some other interesting projects that got shut down by the pandemic and hopefully, will resume soon.

Why do you love being an actor?

I don’t know why I love being an actor. I feel I am a natural actor and have been like that since childhood. Whenever I used to talk, walk or do anything, I used to feel like I am acting, so it has always come natural to me. I think God wanted me to become an actor, so designed me this way. Initially, I couldn’t pursue it because of my family background and financial situation. Now, I am embracing it fully. It is my true calling and forte.