I don't have the time for TV: Karan Kundra
Actor Karan Kundra, best known as the host of the teenage crime show, Gumrah, made his transition from TV to films with Vikram Bhatt's Horror Story has a couple of more film projects lined up.
"I'm going to start shooting for my first solo project from January. I can't talk much about it, but I can tell you that it is a sort of a romantic comedy based in Agra. It's almost like a launch pad for me since it's my first solo project. It's not a run-of-the-mill romcom, but something very creative. I also have two Punjabi films lined up for release in January and February. I'm producing one of them too. My second Hindi film, Rum Pum Posshh, is also in the pipeline. The second schedule is still pending since Prateik and I don't have the dates. " he says, adding, "Besides that, I had signed a three film deal with Vikram (Bhatt) sir. The first was Horror Story; we still have to discuss the other two. He's very busy, so once he's free, we'll get talking about it."
Besides films, Karan is simultaneously shooting for his TV show, Gumrah, which is now in its third season. But once a frequent face on television, Karan is now rarely seen in regular TV shows. "I don't have the time for TV. I'm getting a lot of offers - from Jhalak to Bigg Boss. But how do I take out the time? You know, once you've taken the decision of shifting to films, you have to keep the royalty intact. But I'm still balancing. When Horror Story released on 13th September, my show was on air at the same weekend. I shoot for Gumrah two days in a week and the other five days are reserved for my film commitments. When you're looking for a proper career in Bollywood, this is the amount of time I have to give it," he avers.
Karan faces a lot of competition in Bollywood, especially from his television peers. So how does he plan to carve his niche in the industry? "I think I already have my own niche; I don't have to carve it. My only problem in life is that I don't compete with others, I just compete with myself. Even in television, I've never been compared to anyone because I've worked on a very different level. In Bollywood also, I didn't want a typical launch," he says, adding, "My first film was a horror film. I starred with seven other people, but a lot of big people called me up personally and told me that I stood out. If you're in a big launch, everybody appreciates, but this (Horror Story) was a very different way of coming out. For me, the journey is very important, more than the start or the end of it."
Karan's personal life has always been a talking point, with his on-off affair with co-star, Kritika Kamra, being much in the news. Clearing the air, he says, "I'm in a very complicated situation right now. Till recently, I was pretty much single, but now I don't think I am. I'm not single, but I'm not in a relationship either. The girl is not from the industry. You see, I'm a very difficult guy to deal with. It's too soon to realize or say anything," he smiles.
