Barun Sobti: The missing stone will captivate you until the end

Actor Barun Sobti enjoys exploring the internet. After two OTT releases earlier this year, he is currently featured in the MX original series titled The Missing Stone.

In this exclusive chat with indianexpress.com, Barun discusses the filming of The Missing Stone during the lockdown, the thriller genre and the timing of its digital debut.

Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

Tell us more about The Missing Stone.

It is a unit. It was a crazy effort because we shot during the lockdown. We are setting a good example and the whole team has done a fantastic job. The show will keep you hooked until the end.

In 2020 you appeared in Asur, Halahal and The Missing Stone – all from the thriller genre. What is so attractive about thrillers?

In this industry, people take a picture of you based on the work you do initially. That’s how they know you. Nobody really knows what Barun is like in real life or what he likes to read and see. I’ve always been an avid fan of thriller shows because I believe thrillers are the hardest to write. This love of the thriller genre and the written word that is logical is what I’m a huge fan of. That’s why I like doing thrillers.

If you have to shoot a show like The Missing Stone during the pandemic with safety first, does that limit your craft?

What you say is tough! A concern creeps into an actor’s mind. In this regard, the production has done a phenomenal job with all security measures. We shot the entire show at the same resort we stayed at. So it went well.

It was a privilege to be back on set after being banned. We had a good time with this show.

From television to the internet, you’ve explored a variety of genres, from love stories to dramas to thrillers. What was more satisfying?

As a writer or a subject to be valued, I like thrillers. But I think as an actor, dramatic roles are more satisfying. I can’t have a lot all the time. I’m sure I’ll get restless soon. The problem with our country is with written content. Good thrillers have only recently been written. I would also like to do a comedy. One of my friends wrote a phenomenal comedy and I hope it happens soon.

Barun Sobti and Bidita Bag in a still from The Missing Stone. (Photo: Screengrab / MX Player)

You were a heartbreaker on TV. Was it a risk to switch to digital space at the height of all that admiration?

Of course it was a risk for me. It was an enormous task to get into digital space and then get it right. I want to be happy on my set, that was my ultimate goal and that’s where I am right now. So I am very happy.

Has the web become an obvious transition for television actors today?

I think so. I don’t think that movies or television will provide the kind of content that the web will provide. For an actor like me, the web was an absolute blessing after I took all the parameters into account – that I was an outsider, started watching TV and wanted to do good things. Programming is also the greatest strength of the web. It enables the filmmaker to tell his own story. The most important thing is that people look at it comfortably.

We saw how OTT platforms saved the entertainment industry in 2020. Think your entry on the web was well timed?

I think the time was right. Like I said, my goal is to have a lot of fun on the set, but still what you say is reasonable. I think I arrived at the right time. But I’m honest, when the American OTT room exploded three or four years ago, I was sitting right there looking at this content and wishing something like this happened in India too, and I’m part of the revolution. That’s exactly what happened.

Has 2020 changed you in any way?

Change is constant. Every year there will be something different with new hope, otherwise it’s about that. You have to develop yourself.

What are you hoping for in 2021?

In my entire acting career, 2021 is the year I’m most looking forward to. Maybe people get a little too much from me. It will be a full year of serious things. But there are interesting things coming up for 2021.