Very few know that he is actress Rati Agnihotri’s son but that is not something that bothers Tanuj Virwani, who is making a mark in the industry slowly and steadily. After shooting to fame as Vayu Raghavan in the Prime Video show Inside Edge, Tanuj is now ready for his big film — Dharma Productions’ Yodha, co-starring Sidharth Malhotra, Raashii Khanna and Disha Patani. In a freewheeling chat with us, Tanuj opened up about his new film, reuniting with Sunny Leone for MTV Splitsvilla, his career and his marriage.

You have a big release coming up. Tell us about Yodha, where you have two distinct looks.

Tanuj Virwani: I’ve been auditioning for Dharma Productions projects for a large part of my career. I would always get shortlisted but it wouldn’t quite pan out. Ironically, I didn’t even audition for this particular role. They offered it to me. I don’t know how it happened but I’m not complaining. It gave me a bit of validation that maybe I’m on the right path, maybe they noticed some of the other work I’ve been putting in. Also, what appealed to me about my character in Yodha is that it’s a very strong supporting character; at the same time, it’s not like anything else I’ve done.

I have two different looks in the film – a younger look and an older look. I always find it fascinating, and it’s quite a challenge because when you’re shooting for a film, you’re not shooting linearly. Some days, you are shooting younger, some days older. So, you do not just have to look, walk and talk a certain way, you have to think and feel a certain way as well. There are subtle nuances. When you’re performing for the camera, the camera catches everything. I find it very interesting.

High-octane action thrillers, race-against-time sort of thrillers are exactly up my alley. So, Yodha was like a match made in heaven for me. Our directors, Sagar and Pushkar, were fantastic to work with. Most of my work is with Sidharth Malhotra. He’s an absolute gentleman. Rashii Khanna was a wonderful co-star.

Yodha is a very well-mounted film. Only when you work with Dharma do you realise why Dharma is in a league of its own. They treat artists so nicely and they are so regardful. When you walk into a Dharma set, you feel like, yeah, this is different. Shooting for Yodha has been a fantastic experience.

You’re reuniting with your One Night Stand (2016) co-actor Sunny Leone for MTV Splitsvilla X5 as a co-host…

Tanuj Virwani: I have never hosted anything in my life. When the guys from Spitsvilla got in touch, they took me through the drill and everything that they had in mind. It took me back to the time when I was on the brink of signing Inside Edge. I thought, what do I have to lose? It’s not like I don’t have projects releasing that people would assume I’m out of work and that’s why I am hosting. I wanted to take on a new challenge.

I won’t deny the fact that Sunny co-hosting the show gave me confidence. I knew her from before and we’ve had a good rapport with each other. So, I decided to take the plunge and it’s been fantastic. We worked together seven years ago and she’s still the same person, which is incredible. She’s got that same subtle sense of humour; not everybody gets it but it’s very funny. She’s a very warm person, especially with her team, which is something I’ve always looked up to in an artist.

You started your acting journey with films but the web show Inside Edge(2017) gave you recognition. How did that transition happen?

Tanuj Virwani: When I set out to be an actor, we only had the option of being in films and television. There was no concept of OTT. I did three films but those did not perform well. It then becomes difficult for you to bag lead roles or work with big professionals.

What happened is that the day One Night Stand released, I was on a call with someone from the business side who was telling me that the film had not opened well. I was quite low. Suddenly, I got a call from Excel Entertainment. I had tested for Inside Edge; it was called Power Play back then. They said, ‘We loved your audition and we’d like to get you on board for the show. Why don’t you come over to the office?’ It was like a fairy tale. I bagged Inside Edge the same day One Night Stand came out.

While the paperwork was going on, I was consulting people from the fraternity and some of my well-wishers, and everyone was like, ‘Don’t do this. You’re here to be a film actor. What does OTT even mean?’

And I was like, ‘I agree that it’s uncharted territory and maybe it won’t pan out well, but the fact is that Excel Entertainment is on board, Amazon Prime is backing it, and Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chadha, Sanjay Suri, Sayani Gupta and Angad Bedi are also on board. I’m not really in a position to choose right now. I have my back against the wall. So, I’m going to seize this opportunity with both hands and just give it my best and see what happens.’ So, it was not out of choice but kind of out of desperation. I thought that it was time to wipe the slate clean and try something fresh. That’s how Inside Edge happened.

How did Inside Edge change your life?

Tanuj Virwani: It was not an instant blockbuster when it was released in July 2017, because OTT was in its infancy stage. Three weeks after the show dropped, I got a call from my executive producer inviting me to a success party. I first asked for the location. Had it been some dingy place, I would have known that the show was not a hit. He said it was in the Ballroom at Taj Lands’ End. That’s when I realised that the show had caught on in a big way. And very soon, the second and third seasons were greenlit back-to-back.

When I went out, people would recognise me. Even today, people call me Vayu (his character in Inside Edge). They might not know my real name. Inside Edge opened up my career and the way I could explore opportunities in a big way.

Despite being Rati Agnihotri’s son, you were not launched as a star kid. Many might not even know that you’re her son. Was it a conscious decision to keep it that way?

Tanuj Virwani: Yes, it was very much a conscious decision and the reason is that I feel your famous parents can only take you so far. They can show you the door but it is you who has to walk through it. If you don’t have what it takes, then no matter how much your parents push you, it’s not going to work after a certain period. Because at the end of the day, you’re making films for the audience and the audience is judge, jury, executioner. They decide kaun tikega aur kaun niklega. It’s as simple as that. I would like to be a self-made person. I want my successes as well as my failures to be mine.

Also, since I’ve taken my dad’s surname, Virwani, a lot of people don’t get that connection, which is perfectly fine by me. My mom has always encouraged me. She has always told me, ‘You can always use me as a sounding board, but the choice and decision must be yours.’ I would credit my upbringing for the choices I have made.

Which other genres of films do you want to explore?

Tanuj Virwani: I’ve never gotten the opportunity to be part of a period drama, something from pre-Independent India, the British or Mughal era. That would be pretty fascinating.

You recently got married to Tanya Jacob. Tell us something about this new beginning.

Tanuj Virwani: It’s amazing but you just have to be patient and wait for the right person. Take time before you make a decision. I’ve known Tanya for a long time, and we both just felt it was the right time. We were more or less certain that we wanted to take things to the next level. I feel that if you’re with someone who adds value to your life, it has a positive impact on your work as well. Tanya has brought a lot of luck, stability and success to my life. So, very happy.

What have been your learnings after being in the industry for about a decade?

Tanuj Virwani: Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt from the first 10 years, and it’s something I keep telling myself, is not to get so swayed by people’s opinions and perceptions because everyone’s going to have a different point of view. I’m all for constructive criticism as long as it’s not personal, targeted and vile in nature. But you have to back yourself, especially when nobody else is willing to back you. You have to be your own best friend and pick yourself up. Self-belief is extremely important because it’s such a fast-moving industry.

No matter how good an actor you are, you’ll probably get rejected more times than you get accepted. Because it’s not just about being a good actor; it’s about being the right fit for the role.

I think the mistake I made when I became an actor was that I wanted to be a star. I wanted people to recognise me. That’s a fringe benefit. First, you need to strive to be a fabulous actor. People will take notice of you and then everything else follows. Now I just focus on the process. I don't pay much heed to the results. I should know before going to bed every night that I let it all out.