Pyar Hai Toh Hai actor Karan Hariharan: “I do not like to live in a bubble”

By Jyothi Venkatesh

“I do not like to live in a bubble”, KARAN HARIHARAN, the son of popular playback singer Hariharan and the leading man of this week’s release Pyar Hai Toh Hai tells Senior Journalist JYOTHI VENKATESH in an exclusive interview to Cine Blitz. Karan Hariharan is everything a young man could wish for — he’s filled with charisma, confidence, and his looks aren’t too shabby, either. Karan was definitely born with a silver spoon, but he’s not willing to stoop to anyone beneath him. On the screen, he’s ruthless, even with his loved ones, and uses his powers for vengeance as an actor and world domination.

Karan has rendered a splendid performance in his latest film Pyar Hai Toh Hai as a leading man opposite Paanie Kashyap who plays the leading lady in it. Pyar Hai Toh Hai is Karan as well as Paanie’s debut film in the lead.  It is a story of two dear friends who are destined to be together though at the same time, it is also a story of contradictions, according to Karan.

Pradeep who has directed the film is a phenomenal visionary, according to Karan and he adds that Pradeep has the knack of making every actor very comfortable. “Pradeep conducted a workshop for both Paanie and I and also trained us in the roles before the shooting of the film commenced.

“What is your role in the film? I ask Karan, who happens to be the second son of my dear friend Hariharan. “I play the role of Armaan, who is the embodiment of unconditional love, who is ready to do anything tangible for his friend. The toughest part of the film was that I had to shed a lot of muscles and become lean when I started working in the film. It does not make sense if you have gigantic muscles as a romantic leading man, you see.”

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Karan’s father the playback singer Hariharan had earlier acted in a Tamil film called Power of Woman in the lead. Says Karan, “People ask me why I did not follow in his footsteps and take up singing but all that I can say is that dad and I are good at doing whatever we do separately. I have always appreciated his humility and approach to his work. I learnt grace and humility from my dad. I also learnt how to keep my feet firmly on the ground. I took up acting for the simple reason that I felt that was the only way I could live so many lives at the same time.”

From Amitji to Shahrukh Khansaab, Karan confesses that he has been inspired by each and every actor and has always honed his craft suitably to excel in it. Karan confesses that actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Al Pacino and Pawan Malhotra have blown his socks as an actor and he has always felt the need to improve himself as well as hone his craft as an actor.

Karan says that he slogged as an actor for not just one or two years but as many as 14 years by laying his hands on any kind of role as an actor, whether a supporting role or for that matter the leading man. Karan concurs that one should not confuse passion with love.

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Karan confesses that he was in love three years ago but warns that when one is in love, one does not at all think logically. Karan had earlier acted in films like Missing on a Weekend in a supporting role and the Bengali film Khela Jokhon besides a web series called Seeds. I have always preferred to climb ladders on my own. My dad has also struggled to reach the heights that he has managed to reach and is very happy that I also have taken the hard path.”

Karan continues. “I wasn’t to prioritize what makes me happy and even when set out to sing, I am actually acting. To learn the ABC of acting, I decided to go to the US and study at the Lee Strasberg School. Acting is not at all easy by any means. It needs a lot of concentration on your part. It is difficult if you do not want to take it up.’ The best thing about Karan is that he says that he is his own staunch critic and does not even mind trolling himself to make himself still better. I do not like to live in a bubble and fool myself. I want to be the best and hence work as hard as possible.”