Dubai-based radio announcer on bagging a role in Shahid Kapoor's 'Bloody Daddy'

Dubai-based radio announcer, and now an actor, Tarun UD made his Bollywood debut with an appearance in Shahid Kapoor's Bloody Daddy. The action thriller, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, was shot in Delhi, India, and Abu Dhabi. The film also stars Ronit Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Sanjay Kapoor, and Diana Penty. We caught up with Tarun to talk about how he bagged the role and sharing screen space with the Bollywood star. Edited excerpts from the interview:

How did you bag the role in Bloody Daddy?

I actually have my profiles with leading casting agencies here in the UAE. One of the casting directors, Ivor called me and told me about the role and that I will be able to do it. He asked me to audition for it. But I was like, I've come so many times so let it be. I had a lot of things happening at the time because it was the last quarter. Anyway, I made time for it but I was genuinely so caught up that I did not go for the first audition. He called me again for the second time and I was supposed to reach at 12pm but due to the tight calendar I ended up reaching at 4pm. I did the audition and left because I kind of felt that it might not happen, and at the time, I had so much happening otherwise. But eventually I got a call, and Shaurya Kohli, the assistant director of the film, and Ivor, decided that I fit the role perfectly. That's how I got the role of Akhil Katyal. Perhaps it was meant to be.

What was your first reaction when you were selected for the role?

It was unbelievable. I was like, 'Are you sure?'. I was so used to doing the auditions and not bagging the roles. But then one day I am just sitting in the UAE, and I got the role in an Ali Abbas Zafar film. The role has dialogues and the character is actually going to be in the same frame, sharing the screen with one of the finest actors, Shahid Kapoor. So it was absolutely unbelievable. And I am extremely blessed and grateful for the casting directors here, including Alex Gee and Shaurya, since he was the one who locked me down. I still remember that day so clearly because I was just chilling in my balcony and I got the call, and I told my wife that I just bagged this role. It was quite amazing.

You’ve got the opportunity to share screen space with Shahid Kapoor. How was that like?

How do I start with this? That man is absolutely humble, down to earth, and a powerhouse of energy on the set. And the good thing is that he has a method to his acting. We share the scene in which he has to come and beat the hell out of me. And he actually hit me to get the reaction that was needed. After the scene, he came to me, held both my hands and asked if I was okay. That shows the humility, even after being a huge actor. So sharing the screen space with him was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

What’s the future looking like for you?

I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities that are coming my way. For me, radio is like a mom. She has fed me and taken care of me all this while. I'll always be grateful to that. Having said that, if I do get opportunities to work in platforms or movies, I am definitely going to grab on to it and try and excel more in this realm of entertainment. So I hope the future looks like that. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities and yeah, now I am being featured on Khaleej Times so it seems like I'm on the right track.

Tell us about your interest in acting. When did it first develop?

I remember being a part of school plays. My first role ever was of a vegetable vendor. I was selling onions and potatoes on an annual function play, and then after that, a few plays that I have done, they've been extremely exciting. When it comes to acting, it is something which is about making believe that particular character is me. The thrill and rush of it is, I think, something which is truly meditative. And that's why I love acting, because it is sanity, it is peace, but it is chaos as well. And when you are done with it, there is this satisfaction which is like nothing else that I've experienced in my life.

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