Gaurav Chopra: I realised roles being offered to me were burdened by my stardom

After spending over a decade in the entertainment industry, actor Gaurav Chopra is on a mission to show his versatility as a performer. And his recent outing with web show Rana Naidu was a step ahead towards ensuring that. “Post the pandemic, I noticed that most of the roles being offered to me were burdened by my so-called stardom,” shares the actor, adding, “People would think and assume that there had to be a particular kind of budget and paraphernalia around the whole casting and me being part of a production. Most of the roles were constructed around my previously successful parts.”

Chopra adds that it was off putting to see that most roles coming his way even started to sound very similar, and that’s when Rana Naidu happened and helped him break that barrier. The actor essayed the role of an antagonist and was also seen doing intimate scenes with a transgender person in the show.

“My character, Prince Reddy, gave me an opportunity where I got a chance to embody that whole versatility and the whole spectrum of performance,” says the 44-year-old, crediting his stint on the small screen for making him a household name.

“I’ve been very lucky with my journey on television. I’ve done many unconventional parts that weren’t run-of-the-mill sorts. I was always the larger-than-life exciting parts, so I have no complaints from my tenure on TV. I’ve done what a leading hero does in his full spectrum,” states Chopra, known for shows such as Uttaran, Sadda Haq, Gulmohar Grand, Sanjivani among others.

That being said, the actor is quick to point that while the television audience has seen his potential, that cannot be said for the whole industry.

“So, it’s time for me to showcase it to the rest of the industry, other than TV, and make them aware that there’s this actor who can do more challenging roles on OTT and in films. What people saw in Rana Naidu is just the tip of the iceberg. The audience knows more about my variety than the industry people. I need to somehow wake them up and make them look at me differently and give me a chance. I know I can pleasantly surprise them, and take up more responsibility,” he concludes on a hopeful note.