Sunny Kaushal on the impact of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba on his career: The surprise element worked for me

It’s been quite an eventful year for actor Sunny Kaushal with Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba and up next, he has two interesting projects with Shiddat 2 and Letters To Mr Khanna. Reflecting on the years that he has had and the love and appreciation he got for his grey-shade character in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, the actor admits that it did change the course of his career.

Talking about the impact of the film, he says, “I think it changed things for the better because a lot of people called me after that, and they were thoroughly impressed. It was something new which people did not expect out of me. So, I think the element of surprise also played a big part. I put my heart and soul into that part and tried to make something out of the character, so it felt good to be validated after that. Playing a twisted man with his own definition of love and morality, it was fresh as an actor to interpret and bring it on screen.”

But does he feel a sense of belonging after the acceptance of the part? “I don't know about it because I genuinely do not think like that. I just know ki mehnat karni hai, accha kaam karna hai and logon ko entertain karna hai. Baaki jo hoga dekha jayega as what happens at the end is none of your business. What I have received makes me happy and this is just my beginning. I genuinely do not think about industry’s acceptance because wo pehle bhi tha, and acha kaam karoge to acceptance milta hi hai in any industry. Baaki itna kuch hai nahi tension lene ko life mein,” he responds.

Sunny’s next, Letters to Mr Khanna, sees him star alongside actor Neetu Kapoor and he plays her son. It has been almost two years since the film’s shoot wrapped up and the actor himself is quite eager for it to come out. “That film is very beautiful, because it entails a lot of what it means to be a man and the growth of men. There’s the deconstruction of society in those terms. I really want that to come out, hopefully soon, next year may be,” he says, adding that he has also finished shooting for Shiddat 2 with actor Wamiqa Gabbi. “It will be coming out early next year. It's not the continuation from the first part as unfortunately, I died in it. It’s like a franchise; you take the same DNA and same grain and tell a different story.”