Listen "EP 353 |Saurabh Shukla on Ranbir Kapoor, Amrish Puri, Comic Timing, Awards & More "
Episode Synopsis
Saurabh Shukla is one of India’s most talented and loved actors, known for his roles in Satya, Jolly LLB, and Barfi. A National Award winner, he is admired for his natural acting and brilliant comic timing.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Saurabh Shukla talks about what acting really means, how he perfects his timing in comedy, and how he keeps his characters real and consistent across films.He shares interesting stories about working with greats like Amrish Puri and Shekhar Kapur, his early struggles in the industry, moments of self-doubt, and the happiness of winning a National Award.Saurabh Shukla also speaks about how Bollywood has changed over the years, why South Indian films are winning hearts, and how humour, language, and everyday life experiences help actors connect with their audience.00:00 – Introduction00:36 – Jolly LLB: Maintaining Character Continuity02:29 – National Award: Reaction & Meaning05:04 – Self-Doubt & Low Phase in Life09:03 – Humour as a Defence Mechanism14:28 – Sensitivity & Limits of Humour Today17:28 – Working with Ranbir Kapoor on Barfi!21:55 – Why I Didn’t Like Shakespeare24:14 – Working with Shekhar Kapur on Bandit Queen32:52 – Writing Satya & Making a Cult Film47:08 – Why South Indian Films Connect More49:28 – Working in Nayak & Lessons from Amrish Puri54:50 – What It Really Means to Be an Actor1:01:44 – Watching Content at 2x Speed1:08:09 – The Challenge of “Lived” Experience1:12:54 – Family Background & Early Influences1:15:39 – How Language Has Evolved in Films1:21:01 – Wearing the Director’s Hat1:22:44 – Theatre vs Film vs OTT1:26:15 – Closing
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