Atul Kulkarni: I hate when someone touches my feet, feels wrong

In a chat with Hindustan Times, actor Atul Kulkarni talked about his latest show, Happy Family, Conditions Apply.

Atul Kulkarni is here to tickle your funny bone as Ramesh Dholakia in Prime Video’s Happy Family, Conditions Apply. Helmed by Jamnadas Majethia and Atish Kapadia, the show brings together the best of Ratna Pathak Shah, Raj Babbar and Ayesha Jhulka alongside Atul. In a chat with Hindustan Times, Atul opened up about his comic timing.

Atul Kulkarni starred as Ramesh Dholakia in Happy Family.

Atul calls his unusual, comical character Ramesh as someone who doesn’t understand what is politically correct. “I am curious to see how people take Ramesh. He is everything I am not. He speaks his heart out. The only thing he knows is love.”

Happy Family, Conditions Apply reminded many of iconic comedy shows like Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Khichdi. Do these comparisons bother the actor? Atul answered, “I won’t use the word comparisons. They were setting expectations and they are absolutely right because they are expecting what JD and Atish have given them. They are on the right track. If they are expecting comedy with family drama then this is what Happy Family is. However, I have a personal feeling that our show goes little beyond Sarabhai or Khichdi. We grow up with years and Atish has grown up too. Naturally, it will be different this time.”

“Another thing to consider is the OTT format. Unlike tv there’s a definite end.” Associations like these tend to take the expectation a tad higher too. Agreeing to it, the actor added, “Yes, to expect to enjoy it again.That will definitely happen. Every product is different. Audience is going to get something more.”

The title of the series talks about conditions that each family comes with, willingly or unwillingly. When asked Atul Kulkarni about the conditions of his family, he shared, “My family being a normal one has conditions. When two people come together, there are conditions. And, because we are human beings, naturally we have sweet conflicts.”

A lot was said when Laal Singh Chaddha released. Fans were happy to see the actor back with the comedy genre. He expressed, “Many people don't know it but I started acting with comedy. When I was in my hometown, I did a lot of comedy plays, it was my first stage appearance. Later Hey Ram and then Chandni Bar happened. So, people started perceiving me in serious roles and that happened. But Ramesh is everything my other characters are not. I am fortunate that Aatish offered me the role.”

Happy Family, Conditions Apply cast boasts of veterans as well as newcomers. Sharing work experience with them, Atul recalled, “Who would consider Raj Ji in a comedy web show? One might expect Ratna Ji but not just them, even new talents like Sanah Kapur, Meenal Sahu, Raunaq Kamdar, Swati Das and others were great.”

“What I like about the younger generation is that they are extremely confident. They will not touch your feet only because you happen to be born before. That is not enough reason for them to bow down. I love that. I hate when someone touches feet, and all that. It feels so wrong. I don’t become worthy of that only because my hair is grey. I love younger generations because of the equality complex that they have. I see a different energy on the sets. Aatish as a person accepts that, he has no resistance to it. Or else, you become preachy. I completely enjoyed working with the entire cast.”

While Atul enjoyed working on Happy Family, fans would be even more happy to see him finally sharing the screen space with wife Geetanjali Kulkarni. He chuckled and revealed when that could happen. “I don’t know about Geetanjali but I would love to work with her. We being actors are the last link in the chain. The script comes last to the actor. I hope someone casts me with Geetanjali and she accepts,” he signed off.