Annup Sonii Reveals The Reason Behind Changing The Spelling Of His Name And Other Fun Secrets In This Exclusive Interview
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Annup Sonii talks about himself, his life, and his experience in working in Raat Baaki Hai in this exclusive interview with ZEE5.
Annup Sonii, the very talented actor who we have loved seeing in both, films and television, is soon coming to ZEE5 with his mystery thriller film, Raat Baaki Hai. He is also a part of the play Ballygunge, which inspired Raat Baaki Hai and plays the lead role in both. Ahead of the film’s release, Annup Sonii is extremely excited about it. In this exclusive interview with us, he shared a lot of unknown things about himself and also his experience shooting for Raat Baaki Hai. Read on to know what he shared.
Are you a morning person or a night person?
Annup Sonii revealed that he is a night person. “I am very disciplined but only in terms of sleeping late, getting up at a particular time and then following my routine. I can’t get up early unless of course there is a shoot or an early flight,” he said.
One song that gets you into the groove?
He shared that the song ‘Jahan teri yeh nazar hai,’ always gets him grooving.
Tea or Coffee?
“Tea, but when I need to be more diet conscious, I shift to black coffee,” the actor shared.
Ever used your star status to get away?
“Sometimes, especially at crowded places. Like when there are long queues at the airport,” Annup Sonii said.
What was the last lie that you said?
To this, Annup answered, “It was to my son when he wanted me to play. I had told him that I was feeling sleepy.”
One bad habit of yours that no one knows about?
Annup Sonii shared that he is a very restless person and has hidden this from everyone, except his family. “People think I am calm and composed but I can be restless also,” he said.
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What is your cheat meal like?
He shared that he is very fond of fried stuff and loves samosas.
Most romantic thing you did for your wife, or she did for you?
“There are different stages to this. Like it is different when you are dating and when you are married. When you’re married, it is the simple things that are romantic, like helping your spouse in their work. Like my wife loves to write but she doesn’t like typing so I type her writings for her. I feel that is romantic. When you are married for a long time, little things like these are very romantic,” Annup Sonii shared.
Favourite superhero?
Annup Sonii said that he has not been very fond of superhero cinema and has never been crazy for them.
What is your favourite holiday destination?
“I believe destination does not really matter, it matters on how your company is. But still if asked to choose, then it will be the Maldives. But now everybody is going there, it has become a popular place,” he said.
In a relationship, I will never _?
“Break trust. I think that is the most important thing.”
The worst comment you have received on social media?
“I have been lucky in these matters, I have not received nasty comments,” the actor shared.
Favourite quote you live by?
“Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.”
The silliest thing that you last searched on Google?
Annup Sonii said that his mother is recently moving to Mumbai, so he was searching for some fancy stuff to surprise her with.
Biggest lesson life has taught you?
“That we have to stop comparing ourselves with others. We just need to look back on our own path and realise where we started from and where we have reached. That will help you to be more at peace,” he answered.
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Do you know what’s the most searched thing about you on Google?
“My age?”
The most Googled thing about you is, “Is Annup Sonii the owner of Sony TV?”
Hearing this, the actor cracked up, and said, “I wish!”
The strangest rumour you have heard about yourself?
Annup Sonii answered that the strangest rumour he heard about himself was that he owns three Mercedes cars and has a huge bungalow in Mumbai.
Top 3 songs on your playlist?
“Currently, the top 3 songs in my playlist are, ‘Ya toh barbaad kar do, ya abaad kar do’ from Ludo, composed by Pritam, and ‘Hawaayein’ from Jab Harry Met Sejal. I really like Arijit’s songs,” he said.
One thing you’re guilty of?
“Not being consistent with certain disciplinary routines in life. Sometimes I just go berserk on eating and sometimes I maintain a proper diet,” Annup Sonii shared.
One reason why you changed the spelling of your name?
“It was on my mother’s insistence. I am very rigid about these things, I do not believe but one day my mother insisted that why don’t I try, everyone is doing it. So I tried, and this was the spelling that was offered to me. So I trusted her and changed it. Now I don’t even look back to the old one. And now it does not matter if anything changed with the name,” he said.
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One lesson you learnt from your mom?
Annup Sonii said that he learnt two things from his mother. One was being active, and another one was cleanliness.
Also read: 6 Films That Are Set In A Span of 24 Hours Like Raat Baaki Hai, Hotel Mumbai
What was your initial reaction when you read the script of Raat Baaki Hai?
To this, Annup Sonii answered, “It’s based on the play that I have been doing since the last one and a half year. So I knew the script very well. In fact, I was a part of it, because this was a play based on just two characters and later on I was approached to convert it into a movie. So I was a part of it from the beginning. What was surprising to me was how well our writer Siddharth converted this from a play script to a film script. He kept the plot intact and got more characters and made the film very gripping.”
Tell us something about your character.
The actor said, “For me the excitement about this character was that he is a guy who is put into a situation where he is completely helpless. I have done various kinds of roles in films and shows but I have always played characters who are in command and are not losing. But here, this guy was in a situation where he does not know what to do. He is pushed from every side and the whole helplessness was new for me and challenging as an actor to play it.”
You have been the Satark Saathi in Crime Patrol and now you are playing a completely different character in Raat Baaki Hai. How was the experience, and how did you prepare for the role?
“This happens with every actor that when a project becomes successful, they associate the actor with that project. I did the film Khali Peeli where my character is a darpok guy. He is a small-time thief but a very scared person. I deliberately did that role because I wanted to come out of that image (as the Satark Saathi). And for Raat Baaki Hai, it was a little easier because I had done the play. But yes, when I was playing the character in the film, I worked on my character as I read the script and as the director guided me, to get the whole body language to express the character’s helplessness and restlessness.”
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How was the experience shooting in Rajasthan and during a pandemic?
“There was a certain fear in the atmosphere because this was the first long schedule we were shooting for during the pandemic. And as I said, I was part of the team and planning when the film was being made, so we all had decided to go to Rajasthan to shoot the film. We also needed a ‘fort look’ for the film. And the whole crew was tested before shooting. We also decided that no one will leave the city where we were shooting, before finishing the shoot, and that we all would leave only once the shoot was completed, to reduce the risk of infection. We tried to maintain all precautions,” Annup Sonii said.
He added, “The shoot cycle was very different for us because 99 per cent of the film is shot at night. So we used to shoot from evening 6:30 to morning 7. Then we used to sleep from 7 till 3 in the noon and then begin shooting at 6:30 the next day, again.”
Dipannita Sharma shared that you were always well-rehearsed with your lines. So how did you manage that?
“One reason definitely was that I performed the play, too. And one thing about plays is that it is always in a linear format. You start at the beginning and end at the endpoint. But a movie is not necessarily shot that way. It is shot in a non-linear format. I remember the first day of my shoot was for a scene which is almost in the middle of the film. So preparation is necessary for that. And since the time I was a student in acting, I had learnt to keep reading my script. I have developed that habit. I love reading my script again and again, and that helps. I don’t memorize my lines. I just keep reading the script again and again and I think that helps me understand my character better and remember my lines better. I use this process for every acting performance of mine.”
Top 3 murder mysteries/thrillers you like?
“I am a big fan of Sriram Raghavan’s films, and I love his films Andhadhun, Ek Haseena Thi, and Johnny Gaddar. And also an English series that I recently watched, The Undoing, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. It has a great plot and very surprising turn of events, and perfectly maintains the suspense.”
Can we expect the same from Raat Baaki Hai?
“About Raat Baaki Hai, I can say that there is a surprise after every 15 minutes. It has that kind of an intriguing quality and maintains the suspense. You feel like you will know who the killer is and right then there will be another twist.”
3 reasons to watch Raat Baaki Hai?
“The first is that I am playing a very different character. Secondly, we have a fabulous script, I am 100 per cent sure the film will engage you and will not bore you. And thirdly, we have a very interesting cast. All the actors in the film, Dipannita Sharma, Paoli Dam, Rahul Dev, Saurabh Sachdeva, Aakash Dahiya, we all are working together for the first time. Every character has some suspicious quality and the audience will love the film.”
Raat Baaki Hai premieres on ZEE5 on 16 April.
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