Sunny Singh reveals the bald truth about Ujda Chaman

There's nothing like a good old controversy to bring a well meaning actor into the limelight. Sunny Singh was pacing himself in the Bollywood film industry with films like Akaash Vani, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and few more slightly lesser known films. But now with his movie Ujda Chaman out now in UAE theatres, he is on the fast lane. Initially set to release next week, the movie was going to clash with Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala, but has released earlier now. Ujda Chaman, like Bala, essays a prematurely balding 30-year-old bachelor who is in search of a beautiful wife and is given a deadline to find one or remain alone forever. Directed by Abhishek Pathak the film also sees Maanvi Gagroo, Saurabh Shukla and Karishma Sharma. 
Talking about what attracted him to this quirky role, Singh says it was the content that roped him in. "It's something different that people haven't tried yet. So that was one thing that I really liked," he added.
Ujda Chaman is the official remake of 2017 Kannada film Ondu Motteya Kathe directed by Raj B. Shetty who also plays the lead. While the plot is similar and Singh took inspiration from Shetty who plays an introvert teacher, he brings his own unique touch to the persona. We speak to the actor to find out more about the one-of-a-kind movie - ie before Bala hits the theatres next week! 
Tell us a bit about the role you play and how you prepared for it
I remember when Abhishek Pathak called me and said there's a good script. I was really inspired and I wanted to do it. I got inspired by the guy who played it so well and so naturally, it was so effortless. An actor always wants to do something different. 
This is the journey of a simple bald guy. It was a task doing the prosthetics having to sit for two and a half hours everyday. But the whole journey has been very good. I got inspired by the original Kannada movie. There are many things which I have adapted but I really loved doing it. 
The movie was initially set to release next week, same as Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala, and both look at the topic of premature balding. This clash in release dates seems to have stirred up some controversy. What are your thoughts on the matter?  
I have nothing to do with that. Because I remember meeting Ayushmann at the airport about 3 weeks back and we were so chilled because at the end of the day we are actors, we have to do our jobs. So we are okay. It's just that we got our films from different filmmakers. I just got to know at the end of my shoot that there is a movie Ayushmann is doing which has a similar concept. When I saw the trailer (of Bala) I was a little shocked looking at the similarities but then I was okay. It's not me who should get into it; it's not my job. We both are here to work and he's been really good and I really love his work. As an actor you just have to think about yourself and what you are doing. I think the way I indulge in my craft is what is important.  
With social media making it so easy to portray the perfect version of everyone, we live in a world that holds beauty and outer looks in a very high regard. What message is the movie trying to give in that regard?
I think it's a journey of a bald guy who has gone through things and every person will connect to it. I know people who are bald who are okay with it, who are quite confident in their life. There are people who are under confident and they can't talk. So I think it depends on a person's thinking but it has nothing to do with the looks. Because right now anybody can go to a doctor and fix everything. So I think overall it's only how you carry yourself. The message is an emotional one that has a humourous side to it. 
Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
I have Jai Mummy Di which is coming in January of 2020 and is being produced by Luv Ranjan and TSeries and directed by Navjot Gulati. I'm also doing a guest appearance for Pati Patni Aur Woh with Kaartik Aaryan which comes out in Decemeber.
 
neha@khaleejtimes.com