Actor Tanuj Virwani says the past year has changed him as a person. Becoming a father within a year of his marriage has made him more responsible, he shares.
"I got married in December 2023 (to Tanya Jacob) and became a father on September 24th. It has completely transformed me as a person and changed my perspective towards life. I have always had responsibilities towards my parents, but this responsibility is on a whole new level," says the actor, last seen in the OTT series Murshid and feature film Yodha (2024).
Virwani adds, "Now, at every turn in life, you're constantly thinking about the fact that I have a daughter (Navya). It’s like mujeh yeh nahi karna hai, yahan nahi jana hi bahut kuch sochna padta hai. Being carefree has been my personality trait which is changing slowly. Ab who attitude nahi chal sakta!"
However, the actor understands how to balance his personal and professional life. "In my personal life, a lot has changed consciously and subconsciously after becoming a father. But workwise, I'm open to any challenge or role! There, I'm dedicated to conveying the vision of my writer-director to the audience. So, I don't have any boundaries like ki meri shaadi ho gaya, baccha ho gaya to yeh nahi karoonga! I love surprising my audience!' I love surprising my audience."
{{/usCountry}}However, the actor understands how to balance his personal and professional life. "In my personal life, a lot has changed consciously and subconsciously after becoming a father. But workwise, I'm open to any challenge or role! There, I'm dedicated to conveying the vision of my writer-director to the audience. So, I don't have any boundaries like ki meri shaadi ho gaya, baccha ho gaya to yeh nahi karoonga! I love surprising my audience!' I love surprising my audience."
{{/usCountry}}Having played numerous action-packed roles, he is now exploring diverse characters in upcoming projects.
"My next film, Let's Meet, gave me the opportunity to be part of an experimental film, a long-distance love story where I play a struggling actor. Then, I completed the Mumbai-based crime saga Domestic Anti-terrorism Unit (DAU), Saurabh Verma's directorial Johnny Jumper, the second season of Rana Naidu, and short film The Interview with Gajraj Rao, which will be showcased at film festivals," he adds.
Starting his career as a chocolate boy and gaining fame with India's first OTT series, Inside Edge, he capitalised on playing strong roles.
"Then, I made a conscious decision to break the mold by playing the antagonist in Tandoor and The Tattoo Murder (2021). I also portrayed the son of a mafia in Cartel and a police inspector in Murshid. These roles, while within the same genre, showcase very different characters. In Yodha (2024), I got to play both young and older versions of the same character. As an actor, it's my responsibility towards my audience and the craft to break my image and explore diverse roles. So, I'm constantly striving to do different things without fearing whether people will accept them or not!"
He is grateful to the experimental filmmakers and casting directors who believed in him. "A bit of luck also plays a role, as you need to be in the right place at the right time," he concludes.