Rohit Roy has been in the industry for three decades, yet he still manages to catch audiences off guard with the roles he picks. In ‘Chumbak’, he teams up again with Neena Gupta in a romantic pairing few would have expected. The actor also talks about his “dustbin medium” comment on television, why OTT needs better comedies and the career decisions that have defined his journey.
Rohit Roy reunites with Neena Gupta in ‘Chumbak’
In ‘Chumbak’, Rohit joins hands once more with Neena Gupta, who was once his on-screen aunt, this time as her younger romantic interest. Speaking to Mid-day about the offbeat casting, Roy said, “In my debut film, Neena Ji played my chachi. And now, after 30 years, I’m playing her young lover. I think it’s a very cute triangle that you’ll see.” He also recalled how she greeted him when they met on set again. “The moment I met Neena Ji, the first thing she said to me was, ‘Maza aa gaya, tu kar raha hai,'” he said. According to the actor, despite the long gap, the two needed no formal reintroduction.
Rohit Roy says OTT needs more comedies
With ‘Chumbak’ winning praise for its fresh content and humour, Roy agrees that mainstream OTT platforms lack good comedies. “I have got into a little problem because a month ago, I made a statement about content, and people misunderstood the entire statement because I used a stupid word. But the fact of the matter is that ‘Chumbak’ is a clutter-breaker. I have been wondering why we don’t have more comedies on mainstream OTT.“
Rohit Roy on his ‘dustbin medium’ remark backlash
Roy also addressed the backlash that followed his comments on television content, saying his words were blown out of proportion. “I don’t blame anybody for this. What happens is that nowadays, everybody wants a clickbait. I am also a product of television. My whole thing was that let’s try and make content on television which is progressive. It was not a personal attack on anybody. I have also been doing exactly the same thing for the last 30 years.“
Rohit Roy on his career choices
Looking back on his thirty years in the industry, Roy says he has been choosy about his projects, picking only the ones that keep him creatively fulfilled. Talking about the roles that have stayed with him, he says, “I did a film, Shootout at Lokhandwala, which is almost 15 years old. People still remember my climax scene.” He also revealed that he first said no to Kaabil, until his best friend Sanjay Suri persuaded him to accept the challenge.