After making his mark in showbiz with Bemael Season 1, Vihaan Samat is hoping to repeat history with the second season of the show. No longer a newcomer to showbiz, he is now ready to challenge himself as an actor with his upcoming projects. Mid Day Online met him for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts:
Vihaan, first things first. No one else but Priyanka Chopra herself mentioned this?
It was absolutely amazing, I was so happy and excited when he posted about me. It took me 5 seconds to process and feel. Initially I thought it was Priyanka Chopra’s fan club who posted about my show. Then, again I checked the profile and saw that it was indeed HER! I am so grateful that he took the time to watch my show. Out of millions of things on Netflix and millions of things on other OTT platforms, he really picked it up and decided to watch it and really liked what he saw… especially the performance! So, coming from such a big star of his time seems valid.
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is ramen noodles. I have packed Ramen Noodles and I have tried different noodles from different parts of the world including Singapore, Hong Kong, USA, India, Korea…. Almost Everywhere! I just go crazy for ramen noodles and dimsums. I love eating steamed disum in restaurants. Another guilty pleasure of mine are true crime documentaries I tend to binge on.
How close are you to the character you play?
If you’re talking about Rey (my character’s name), I feel like when I was younger… I was less self-confident, very awkward and also a more thinker. So, I was not close to it in that sense. Now when it comes to Harsh (my character’s name) I am a little better. I think I have that youthful energy. I am the kind of person who just like my personality, loves to socialize and have a good time. Harsh is a different kind of personality as he is from a different culture. He is from America. So, in that sense, he’s a little different from the real me. Also, when I started acting as Harsh, one thing that I really liked was the idea of jewelery on men. Initially, I hated it. But, finally, I loved it when I wore it for my character. So, I don’t mind making this small random change in my life. Now I don’t mind wearing a ring or two! (smile).
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How is your rapport with your co-star Prajakta Koli?
It’s great. He is a wonderful friend and we had a great time on set. We shot together for a long time and I learned a lot from him. She carries herself very well. She’s also one of the few people I’ve seen who work incredibly hard and then party even harder. I really don’t know how she does it.
Your co-star Prajakta Koli is a real YouTube star. Are you planning to do something in that direction?
No, I am not planning to do anything in that direction, but, I enjoy YouTube. It is a certain type of market value. When someone sits down and sees you on YouTube so casual, it creates a different kind of market value. Sometimes, I prefer to go for live streaming on Twitch. But, I am not planning anything right now. My entire focus is on doing a film or a webseries, being on the sets and acting on the best scripts. That’s it!
Now that you’re an officially certified ‘star,’ when can we see you on the silver screen?
I never think of myself as a star. I just think of myself as a good actor who has got some degree of nobility. But thanks, maybe it helps sometimes to think of yourself as a star. It makes me feel good about my life. Auditions are taking place for the silver screen and many chats are also taking place. So, yes… hopefully one day it will be lined up. For now, ‘Mismatch 2’ premieres today (October 14). I am sure I will get the same love as last season.
Have there been offers that have come to you?
Yes, I have got many offers. I am grateful that I am getting good scripts and offers. I am really looking forward to a good opportunity. I have said yes to many things and no to some things. So, I will shoot something interesting by the end of this month. I am always pushing myself for the better.
If you had to describe your show in one word, what would it be?
emotional (smile)
Give us three reasons why someone should watch your show ‘Mismatch 2’?
Drama, drama and more drama. It’s a very cute and relatable show, which is also very impressive. It really inspires you, because it’s dramatic too. It’s so insanely dramatic that every young soul will get attached to it.
You are a certified social media person. What Does Social Media Mean To You?
Actually, I have a very good relationship with social media. Before ‘mismatch’, my social media account was not authenticated. I used to post for myself with things that made me happy. I try to post content that is relatable to my audience.
Are you addicted to social media?
not at all. I am not addicted to it at all. I’ll be happy if I don’t post anything on Instagram for a month or two or three months! But, I make it a point to check every day.
Can you live without social media for a week?
A week will be tough because a week will be a testing zone (laughs). I think after 3-4 days I will start itching to check it. But if someone challenges me, I think I will do it easily. I will miss a lot of popular culture and updates. I would come back like an alien to see what was going on when I was away for weeks. But, I think I could do it. I don’t think it would be a problem.
Are you ‘indulging’ in a digital detox?
I don’t, because, well, I guess I’m not a super addict. If I think it’s necessary, I certainly will. I love to travel and have already traveled to 15 different countries. I am very lucky that I got a chance to travel this much. And… that’s my detox! (laughs)
What other projects are you working on?
There is a project whose shooting will start at the end of this month. This is a web series for a reputed Indian production company. I wish I could give you more details, but at the moment, I can’t tell much. Right now my entire focus is on ‘Mismatch 2’, which is streaming now. So please watch and I hope you guys enjoy it.
Who draws your inspiration from Bollywood?
I have So So many motivations that it’s hard to narrow down a list. Having said that, let me also tell y9ou that, hopefully in 5 years, I’ll be there with all of them! (smiles with gratitude).
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