Varun Sharma prefers to be ‘entertainer’ over ‘actor’

Mumbai, May 14 (IANS) With four films in his kitty and a quiz show on a digital platform, "Fukrey" famed Bollywood actor Varun Sharma says this is an exciting year for him as he is not only exploring different characters in movies but also other avenues like anchoring and becoming a wholesome entertainer.

Varun's first digital non-fiction show "Bollywood Buzzinga" started streaming on OTT platform MX Player earlier this month. He anchors the show.

Talking about the new role, Varun told IANS here: "Of course I am an actor but I consider myself as an entertainer as well. While acting is a passion, hosting is fun. I always had an interest in hosting, and earlier I (have) hosted a few award shows as well. Hosting a game show is quite interactive and non-fictional shows are a part of entertainment."

"So in a way whether I am acting or hosting, I am entertaining my audience. As an artiste, I am exploring everything and blurring those lines in between."

The show is a Bollywood film quiz and comprises 25 episodes. Varun said he had to do a lot of rehearsals before going on set.

"In a show like this, the fun comes from the reaction of the participants. So I used to rehearse, play the quiz with others on set just to get comfortable with the format. There are times when I asked a question, and even I did not know the answer. So, I also played along with the participants," he said.

Having started his career in 2013, Varun has appeared in films like "Dolly Ki Doli", "Dilwale", "Fukrey Returns" and "FryDay" to name a few.

He is looking forward to the release of "Arjun Patiala" in which he has got a chance to work with his "favourite singer and actor" Diljit Dosanjh.

"We already have a Punjab connection and I am a fan of his music. So when we got a chance to meet, I was so excited. Since that is a comedy film, bonding with the co-actor was important and Diljit 'paaji' has a good comic timing. So, we improvised on our scenes. I really had an enjoyable time shooting for it," said Varun.

He has also finished shooting "Chhichhore", a directorial venture of "Dangal" famed Nitish Tiwari.

Now, Varun is gearing up for the shooting of "Rooh-Afza" alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao.

Talking about how the horror comedy genre is becoming popular, Varun said: "As an audience, I must share that I was never a fan of a horror films. But a genre where we are fusing horror and comedy becomes interesting because the audience knows that they are going to have a good laugh as well as a thrill or mystery of horror. Therefore, the popularity of this genre is also gaining momentum."