Naveen Kasturia claims he is no longer friends with TVF and that he had to try out for Aspirants: Similarly, Alia Bhatt is not an actor who practices Dharma

In an exclusive conversation with Naveen Kasturia. Despite leading Pitchers and Aspirants, Naveen Kasturia discusses his path from Sulemani Keeda to Salakaar, his battle to overcome the boy-next-door stereotype, and why he doesn’t perceive TVF as his workplace in an exclusive conversation with SCREEN.

Amit V. Masurkar’s Sulemani Keeda (2014) marked Naveen Kasturia’s acting debut, but it wasn’t until TVF Picthers that he gained widespread attention. He still doesn’t think of The Viral Fever as his home, even after working on Pitchers and Aspirants. With shows like Salakaar this year and Breathe season 2 (2022), the actor is likewise attempting to shed his image as the boy next door. Kasturia discusses his early days in the film industry, his present relationship with TVF, and his battle to overcome the stigma associated with being a “web actor” in an exclusive conversation with SCREEN.

When directing, I recall Mahesh Bhatt saying, “Don’t give me a good shot.” Give me a real chance. That is something I adhere to. Don’t attempt to demonstrate your acting prowess or emotional range. In that case, just be authentic. One of the actors was excellent in the shot, as I recall. But for some technical reason, it was not able to be printed. He was thrilled with the shot and had given the man a lot of praise. “You know you were very good, but don’t try to copy yourself,” he said. Ignore that one. It’s also true that I come across as false if I repeat my shots. I still unconsciously adhere to these principles now.

Do you consider TVF to be your workplace? When in doubt, do you refer back to TVF?
No, I’m constantly begging my pals for jobs. The people I was friends with are no longer at TVF. People don’t know that I had to take the Aspirants test. Even after Pitchers became popular, I didn’t collaborate with them for six years. I had previously worked on Chai Sutta Chronicles and Rowdies, a parody of Roadies. Following Aspirants’ efforts, Pitchers 2 took place. Who should I approach for a job at TVF, then? I was informed that Dharma Productions has collaborated with Alia Bhatt on a number of her projects. She is not a Dharma actor, though, because of that. At least she and the producer are pals. With me and TVF, that is no longer the case. These days, it’s just a professional calculation.

You don’t mind asking for a job, then?
I believed that I would never need to request employment again after Pitchers. However, that hasn’t occurred yet. I was previously advised to keep in contact by Anurag Kashyap. Because there are so many actors, I understand that. Makers will keep you in mind if you meet them during the casting process. I begged for all of those jobs, including pitchers and aspirants, even if it seems like I was given them to me. I had to convince them that another actor would be a better fit for Pitchers. I also participated in three Aspirants audition rounds.