The Brother of the BOSS

He is best known for his stint in the 2006 television sitcom F.I.R and then making a mark in Shaitan (2011) which won him a  nomination for the Filmfare award for the Best Male Debut. Amidst his busy schedule of running about and traveling, promoting his upcoming film with Akshay Kumar BOSS , the Fried Eye team caught up with the 29 year old actor, Shiv Pandit for a little chit chat.

Fried Eye: When did the acting bug hit you? Did you always want to become an actor?

Shiv: Well acting in front of the camera happened by chance. I was doing a lot of television commercials for various brands. Once I ended up getting them, it had a domino effect which led to my stint on TV as an actor and host & eventually finding my way to movies (Shaitan & now BOSS).

Fried Eye: Was the transition from television to cinema smooth or rough?

Shiv: Well it was natural I think. Once my show FIR became popular, I started getting film offers. But I was sure I wanted to do something different and not run of the mill as my debut film. That’s when I got a call from Bejoy Nambiar’s office for an audition for Shaitan.

Fried Eye: How has the struggle been in Bollywood, without a God Father in the industry?

Shiv: Post Shaitan, I wanted to do something different. So I was extremely patient in signing my next. Once I was offered BOSS, I knew it couldn’t get bigger than this. It was the right set up for me. I wanted to do a massy family entertainer, so that more and more people notice me. Mr. Akshay Kumar I guess saw the fact that I don’t have a godfather here neither did he when he started out, that is why he supports me and believes in me.

Fried Eye: Tell us more about BOSS. What is it all about?

Shiv: BOSS is an out and out family masala entertainer. It has something for every member of the family. I play Mr. Akshay Kumar’s younger brother who is a college student and deeply in love with Aditi Rao Hyadri’s character. Due to this romantic angle certain conflicts arise in the film. Therefore BOSS comes in to help me win my love interest.

Fried Eye: How did it feel to be sharing screen space with Akshay Kumar?

Shiv: It was surreal. I couldn’t believe I was in the same frame as Mr. Akshay Kumar. I have grown up watching his films. He is so energetic on the sets. It is truly inspiring.

Fried Eye: How was your chemistry with Aditi?

Shiv: Aditi and I hit it off right from day one. She is extremely easy to get along with which helped us work on this film in a very smooth fashion.

Fried Eye: What was the most memorable moment during the shoot of BOSS?

Shiv: I was shooting with great stalwarts like Mr. Danny Dangzongpa, Mr. Mithun Chakraborty and Mr. Akshay Kumar. I had several fan boy moments on the sets while shooting. I would think of all the other characters they have played on screen in various films.

Fried Eye: Tell us about your upcoming projects

Shiv: I have signed a 3 film deal with Akshay Kumar. Also I am reading a couple of scripts. Let’s see if I like something. (I need to increase the speed of signing my films!)

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