'That comparison, "Oh look at Vicky, do you also see yourself being that successful in life?"'
'Vicky has done a lot and he is where he is. I feel really happy about it.'
'But I have my own journey.'
Sunny Kaushal may have followed his brother Vicky Kaushal's acting footsteps but he makes his individual career choices.
Right after stepping out of his college, he worked as an assistant director before making his way into acting.
"I did not know the difference between a shot and a take and this was me, a 22-year-old boy whose father was an action director!" Sunny tells Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com.
Do you think comparisons between Vicky and you are unfair?
It used to irritate me a lot initially.
In every interview, they would be like, what tips has Vicky given you?
I was like, 'Arrey yeh kya hain, yaar? (What is this?) Aisa thodi na hota hain (It doesn't happen like that).
If you ask any actor, you will understand that it's a very individual art. It is not a technical art where you give tips and somebody will apply it in a character that's completely different and be able to get the same results.
It is a choice that you make on that given day, for that given scene, for that given character. Only that will show what your acting is and what do you choose to do.
You can have a healthy discussion about how you approach things but it really does not come from any tips or tricks that anybody gives you.
Over the period of time, I realised that people generally tend to draw comparisons between siblings: 'Oh, he is so good at studies why is the other one not?' or 'If he is good at sports, why is the other one not?'
That comparison, 'Oh look at Vicky, do you also see yourself being that successful in life?'
I have always maintained that everyone has a different definition of success. At the end of the day, it's the happiness that counts.
Vicky has seen a lot and done a lot and he is where he is. I feel really happy about it.
But I have my own journey.
What was it like being Sham Kaushal's son during your growing up years? Did you accompany your father on sets?
When we were born, dad was a stuntman. He became a stuntman with Prahaar (1991).
We didn't know exactly what his work was. We just knew that he does something in the movies that we watch on TV.
When we grew up, we realised he does those action sequences. He designs, directs and choreographs them.
See, ours was never a filmi household. Dad never got films home. He had a lot of meetings at home but we were never became a household that only speaks about films.
He was busy with his work and we were focused on our studies.
After Kaho Naa Pyaar Ha released and Hrithik sir (Roshan) became this huge sensation, we got to know that dad was working with him on Fiza with Khalid Mohamed sir. We insisted that we meet Hrithik sir.
There is a picture floating on the Internet with Hrithik sir in the middle and Vicky and me on either side. That was on the sets of Fiza. We were 14 or 15 at that time.
The first time we went on set was Asoka. Dad was doing a small part in the film and he was shooting with Shah Rukh sir.
You will see dad at the start of the film. He played a negative part.
He was excited and wanted us to see him in front of the camera.
So we met Shah Rukh sir there.
I think we've been on set only two or three times.
It was pretty normal till we decided to join the film industry. That's when we started learning more about it.
I was on the sets of My Friend Pinto (the film where Sunny worked as an assistant director) right out of college. I was there to observe how things happen.
I did not know the difference between a shot and a take and this was me, a 22-year-old boy whose father was an action director!
That's where my schooling actually started.
Vicky once said that your dad's life was full of struggle. What did you learn about the industry from his journey?
Yes, his life was full of struggle, but we got to know that much later in life.
Growing up, we never felt the struggle because he never let it come to us.
I'm not saying that everything was comfortable. Obviously, in your subconscious, you probably know what is happening.
It was much later in life that we realised what he went through and that there were times when there was no money at home.
When dad decided to become a stunt director, it was like starting from scratch again.
There's this thing, if you're a stuntman and you decide to become a stunt director, you have to make the stunt director's card. But you can't go back to being a stuntman as your fallback option.
And being a stunt director is purely on who takes you.
He had come home and told mom that he has decided to become an action director. He said we would either lose everything and have to pack our things and go back to Punjab or we would prosper.
There is this sweet story I would like to share with you.
We are from Punjab. You have these houses with terraces there. My parents are fond of such open spaces.
When dad came to Mumbai, he saw these small houses.
Dad had a dream that he will have a house with a balcony. In a city like Bombay, having a balcony in your house is a luxury.
When he bought this house, where we are still live, he was really happy.
He was like now I feel like I've achieved a part of the things that I had always thought of because now I have a balcony and can sit and enjoy my tea under the open sky.
That's the thing, you know, when you have given your life to an industry and have struggled so much and make something out of yourself, it is these small things that give you happiness at the end of the day.
Does he watch everything that Vicky and you do? Is he critical of your work?
Yeah, both mom and dad do.
Mom is a very audience-like critic because she doesn't understand a lot of technicalities.
For her, it's very simple. If she likes it, she will say what she liked. If she doesn't like it, she will say what she did not like. She's very honest.
Dad comes with so much experience and knowledge, so he sees it from that lens.
You recently admitted being single. Are there any pressures of having a relationship when you are still trying to establish a career?
You don't look at it as pressure, it's just there.
Being in the public eye, I think everybody has the right to choose what they want to keep private in their life.
If you see my Instagram, I don't post much about family or friends. It is mostly about work. That's because I chose to keep that part of my life private.
I don't think it's necessary to divulge everything about your life.
To each to their own.
I am a very private person when it comes to my family, friends or the people I love.
So Haseen Dillruba 2 has put things in motion. What's coming up next?
Shiddat 2.
It's not a continuation of the first one. It's a different story, different characters, but it has the same grain.
Then there is a film called Thank You Mr Khanna, which is a sweet mother-son story. I am working alongside Neetu Kapoorji.
