You’ve probably seen him in Mismatched, Sharmaji Namkeen, The Broken News 2, or heard his heartfelt songs like Narazi and Kho Gaye — yes, we’re talking about the multi-talented actor-singer Taaruk Raina. As External Affairs lit up Hyderabad, he sat down with CE for a candid chat on theatre, music, challenges and more.
Excerpts
What does it feel like to be doing theatre again and what excites you the most about it?
We’re on our 45th show now, and it’s still just as exciting because of what the play does. The content is something you don’t really get bored of, so I enjoy it the same way I did during our first show. It feels great being on stage, there’s nothing better for any art form — be it music, acting or dancing. The camera is fine, but on stage, everything is on the line. You can’t afford mistakes, so you have to be really well prepared. It challenges, lifts, grounds and gives you a reality check every time. So that is the beauty of the stage in general.
How do you feel performing in Hyderabad?
Performing in Hyderabad feels amazing because we spent a lot of time here shooting Mismatched season 3, so coming back feels really special. We love the city, we love the food and there’s definitely a soft corner for it. My favourite is the biryani of course and I also loved the puff pizza from Broadway.
Out of singing, acting, and performing, what’s your first love amongst all of them?
Music has always been my first love since I grew up doing it. Acting came much later, and I love them equally, but music is my first love.
Out of your songs, what is your favourite composition?
My favourite would be Narazi because I think it’s the most heartfelt song I’ve written. It comes from a very personal place, and when something like that falls into place and the song actually sounds decent, it makes you really happy. In songwriting, there are times when you want to say something, but it’s not always song-friendly. This was one of those rare moments where I wanted to say something that’s difficult to express, but it worked well in a song. It just happened naturally. No one really sits down knowing they’re going to make a decent song, it either happens or it doesn’t. You just keep trying. And for me, this was one of those instances where it actually worked, which makes it even more special.
What’s your go-to ritual before stepping on stage, and one fun fact about you that many people don’t know?
Secretly pray and hope that I actually remember my lines. (laughs) Fun fact about me? I don’t even think I’m that fun. But something people don’t really know is that I’m a hardcore geek. I’m a proper tech nerd and always have been.
What’s one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your journey and how did you overcome it?
There are many challenges in a business like this, where uncertainty is constant and you never really know where your next paycheck is coming from. That’s honestly the biggest challenge — staying composed and not losing your mind to overthinking or idleness. As actors, we spend a lot of time alone and not always doing much, which makes it easy to get caught up in comparison, especially with social media showing everyone doing so much. You start questioning yourself, wondering if you’re doing too much or too little. Everyone has their own journey, and while it’s easier said than done, I’ve gotten better at handling it. I still struggle sometimes, but it’s not like before when I’d doubt everything, even why I became an actor. Apart from that, the job’s great and I don’t think there is any other challenge.
Future projects.
There’s a show called Rangeen coming to Amazon Prime sometime this year, but I’m not sure when exactly. And I kick off my India tour for my live concert in May. So I’m going to tour the country, about six to eight cities. That starts and I’m excited for that.