Up, Close and Personal with Hussain Kuwajerwala

Up, Close and Personal with Hussain Kuwajerwala

The actor cum anchor was in Odisha for an event when My City Links decided to catch up with him to talk about his journey and how artists like him are adapting to the new normal.

From modelling and TV commercials to being a part of some of the most popular soap operas and reality shows, television actor and anchor Hussain Kuwajerwala has come a long way. And, the charming heartthrob continues to light up the small screen whenever he makes an appearance! So, when the talented actor was in the land of wonders, Odisha, for an event, My City Links decided to catch up with him for a tete-a-tete and we loved every single moment of it,.

To begin with, the actor could not stop gushing about Odisha! “I really feel great coming to Odisha and would always cherish my experiences here. Whenever I go to any part of India, I get so much of love and affection. It feels blissful when your fans appreciate you and recognise you from your work you have done in the past. That is an overwhelming feeling. And, the best part is when I get to travel for work, India surprises me at every step. It is like you get to see a new India in every 100 kilometres.”

Hussain, who is also known to be one of the wittiest anchors on television, has shows like Indian Idol, Khul Ja Sim Sim, Kalakarz and many others to his credit and he has nailed it in all of them. As an actor, his character ‘Chirag Virani’ in ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and ‘Sumit Wadhwa’ in in ‘Kumkum’ made him a household name. 

For a multitasker like him, time management must be quite a task but he is bang on as he replies to that, “The right opportunity is very important for an artist. When that happens, the person manages time accordingly. Luckily, I have got chances to host shows, to do a few fiction shows, to dance on a few reality shows, to do a theatrical show and so when you get to play so many shades, you realise what being an artist truly means. Time management becomes least of the problems then.” 

He further mentions that there is a big difference when one plays a fictional character and hosts a reality show. “Acting demands you to be oblivious about the camera’s presence. But while hosting, your real persona comes out more often. While you are doing fiction, there’s a character that you are portraying but while its hosting, it is more about you. It is always your individual approach towards it.”

Like many other sectors worldwide, entertainment industry in India is also gradually recovering from the huge setback due to the pandemic. Talking about the adaptation to the new normal, he says, “We are all adapting to the new normal but at the same time we are not happy about it. Till the time things are okay and vaccines come out, safety would be the top priority.” 

Getting back to his visit to Odisha, he does not forget to raise a toast to Odisha based artist management organisation Team Albatross and its founder Shahbaaz Hashim. Hussain gladly mentions, “The entire team and Shahbaaz Hashim are absolutely wonderful. We have worked together in the past too. As an artist, my expectations would always be dependent on the artist manager while travelling to an unknown place amongst unknown people. But with Hashim, you know would return with good experiences and good memories.”

On future plans, the actor sums up, “There nothing currently in the pipeline as of now but hopefully as soon as things get back to normalcy, the bounce back will be with a different energy and we are all awaiting that.”