Tanuj Virwani is a dynamic Indian actor and model, carving a niche for himself in the Bollywood and digital entertainment landscape. Before diving into acting, he also built a career as a model, which contributed to his strong screen presence and understanding of the entertainment industry. Tanuj has pursued his interest in filmmaking, directing and writing several socially relevant short films that address important issues, showcasing his creative versatility.
He debuted with the 2013 film Luv U Soniyo and later starred in the racy thriller One Night Stand (2016) alongside Sunny Leone. His performance was noted for its intensity and range. Tanuj gained significant recognition for his role as Vayu Raghavan in the Amazon Prime Video series Inside Edge, which explores the world of cricket and entertainment. The show’s success helped solidify his reputation in the digital space. In addition to his acting prowess, Tanuj has demonstrated a passion for direction and writing, creating several impactful and socially relevant short films.
Tanuj Virwani, born on November 29, 1986, is son of veteran actress Rati Agnihotri and has leveraged his background to build a successful career in the entertainment industry. His international education and experiences have given him a global perspective, which he brings to his work, enhancing his ability to connect with diverse audiences.
Tanuj Virwani studied at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he pursued a degree in Business. His education in one of the world’s leading institutions reflects his diverse interests and capabilities beyond acting. He has a keen interest in sports, particularly cricket, which played a significant role in his portrayal of Vayu Raghavan in Inside Edge. His understanding of the sport added authenticity to his performance.
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Tanuj maintains a rigorous fitness regimen, which is evident in his roles and public appearances. His commitment to fitness not only enhances his on-screen presence but also reflects his dedication to a healthy lifestyle.He is quite active on social media, where he engages with fans while offering glimpses into his professional and personal life. His posts often reflect his interests in travel, fitness, and current projects.
Tanuj Virwani is acclaimed for his role as Vayu Raghavan in Amazon Prime’s Inside Edge. He has also starred in ALTBalaji’s Code M and ZEE5’s Poison. His early career featured a prominent role in the thriller One Night Stand with Sunny Leone. Besides acting, Tanuj has directed and written impactful short films, showcasing his multifaceted talents.
Q1. Looking back with us, where did it all begins and What motivates you actually?
I always knew that I have a creative spark inside me which is what I have always gravitated more towards arts. This is something that was always a part of me and I just needed to find the way to express. For the longest time, I felt that writing and direction was that calling for me. I still do believe that this could still be a part of me. But yes, this started long back when I was 11/12. We used to have a science week in our school and we had to build things out of scratch. I remember it was perhaps the year when Titanic released and that’s when I had made a ship made of thermocol alongside other household components. When the week was done, we decided to rig the ship, put it in a child pool and blow it up. I guess that’s where the entire journey of wanting to create and make films started.
Q2. How has your journey been in this industry till date?
I think it’s been a fantastic journey in my first decade as an actor which was all about ups and downs. When your projects don’t do as well as you pray or hope, you either just sink or you swim. You either find out your way or you give up. You know that success is just around the corner but just that you don’t know which corner that is. I guess that’s the journey I have taken and for me, it was about consistent growth over a period of time rather than anything sudden or overnight. I also feel that it is healthy for an actor as you know yourself a lot better as a performer and entertainer and along with knowing what to do, t’s equally important to understand what should be avoided. This is something that you learn over a period of time when you work with good talent in front of or behind the camera.
Q3. Out of all your work which one you feel is a turning point of your career and Why?
Without any element of doubt, it has to be Inside Edge, starting from the first season to eventually more. That was a time when professionally as well, things weren’t going as per how I would have wanted. I had done about three films which didn’t work and I remember even critics brushed me aside as just another star kid perhaps who couldn’t act. However, Inside Edge set things going for me. I feel that when an actor’s potential is tapped perfectly at the right place and right time with the right character and energy surrounding it, magic can be created and that’s what happened here as well. Also, I am fortunate that it also happened at a time when OTT was growing. So, I can pretty much say that my journey and growth has coincided with the growth of OTT. Nowadays, things are different and even a lot of A-lister actors who are great talents in their own right be a part of OTT. But back then, it wasn’t really the case as things were just growing. So yes, that’s pretty much it.
Q4. You have been in this industry for more than a decade now, so what changes have you seen in the industry?
I think in our industry, we see some kind of change after every 2-3 years. Back then when I had started, it was just films and TV which was bifurcated between TV daily soaps and reality TV. However, with the advent of OTT, things have completely transformed and for the better. Also, it has encouraged and promoted talents across all cultures, be it talents from TV space or the OTT ‘OGs’ themselves, theatre, social media influencers or any other kind of talent. Together, it has become this really interesting ‘melting pot’. Also, I must say that the stories that are now being told are a lot bolder that encourage conversations. They are not longer about being in the safe zone and that’s wonderful. At the end of the day, art and cinema as a whole is always a reflection of the times we live in. If you take a look at content of the 50’s, it was going reminiscent to the time then and so was the situation in the 70s and 80s. Its a constantly evolving beast and we also can’t ignore the impact which the pandemic had on the entire landscape of entertainment. It brought out a massive change. The way we were consuming content prior to COVID was much different from after that. Back then, films were routinely making 100-200 crores at the box office. All of a sudden, global theatres shut and the industry came to a standstill. The loss of one sub-industry became the gain of the other and that’s when OTT came on its own. Because of that, the kind of stories being, the open endings, the casting, the visual aesthetics that came into play to cater to not just Indian masses but also the International audience as well just made entertainment ‘glocal’ which means local yet created for the global stage. I think this is something that has definitely changed and this is a very exciting phase for any actor, artiste and technician because I really feel that we have now only scratched the surface and there’s miles to go ahead after this.
Q5. And How hard or easy has it been, especially having superstar Rati Agnihotri as a mother?
Well, if you are the son or daughter or someone of that stature who’s had such an incredible body of work, it’s pretty much like a ‘double-edged sword’. Of course, things like access within the industry and a lot of other stuff gets easier alongside getting advice and suggestions from people who have made it. However, once you start your journey, you are pretty much on your own. If they feel that you are the right fit for a right character, you will make it and of course after that, it depends on the audience. If there’s a sense of acceptance by the audience, you will get more work whereas if there’s a sense of rejection, it will be an uphill task certainly in that case. So, you need to always be in tune and in sync of what’s happening as it’s a very fast-changing ecosystem. You can’t afford to be complacent. Just when you think you have arrived and you are making the right choices, suddenly, the trends and patterns change. It doesn’t matter if you are an outsider or a starkid. I truly believe that at the end of the day, the paying public is the ultimate judge and jury. They decide depending on what their whims and fancies and what’s catering to their sense of entertainment. You don’t need to be a Khan or a Kumar in today’s day and age. You just need to focus on your craft. If there’s too much focus or emphasis on being a star, you will lose your direction. You just need to be on top of your game and be consistent, day in, day out. If you focus on being an actor first, there are great chances that you automatically will eventually be a star, the cases in point being a Ranbir Kapoor or a Ranveer Singh. They have a very diverse body of work where they have created a separate niche for themselves but also in a way where they don’t alienate the masses. If you manage to hit that purple spot which is between the classes and the masses, you have truly worked it as then, you are talking Pan-India.
Q6. As an actor you’ve done both, big and small screen, which one you enjoyed the most and why?
As an actor, I don’t really look at the medium. I just look at the set, setting and the kind of talent that we have on set. And for me, the script is king and so I could be doing long-format for an OTT platform, I could be doing a three-hour film which is about the usual setup of a beginning, the interval and an ending blended with three to four songs which will have a culmination at the end or you could be doing more open-ended content where you resolve a bunch of issues but you also sow the seeds for what’s going to come next. I think all of them are interesting but one reason I do prefer long-format storytelling is because it’s not just dependent on individuals. It’s about the entire story driving the narrative and in the process, almost all the characters get their part to shine and thrive in some episode or the other thereby increasing the screen time as well thereby letting them grow their character in an effective and plausible way so that it doesn’t feel rushed. If you look at shows like Inside Edge, Mirzapur, Cartel, Paatal Lok, Sacred Games, there’s no hero or heroine driving the story. It’s all about the ensemble.
Q7. What type of roles attract you actually?
Well, I would like to think that I really don’t like to push myself to a corner. For me, it’s always the writing and there’s no one particular role that I gravitate towards. I always hear the complete narration and then I do my own analysis in a way that if I had to do absolutely nothing with the project in general, will I still be interested to watch it as a paying audience? If the answer is in the affirmative, I go ahead with it without thinking much about my role duration, screen time and other stuff. For me, it’s more about understanding what’s the kind of impact that my character is creating and bringing to the table. It’s a process that I put myself through and it’s not about any genre.
Q8. Who is your role model in life?
I don’t have any one particular role model in life. For me, it’s always an amalgamation of many different personalities and certain character traits that I find attractive in different people. This could be from sports personalities, film starts, politicians, my friend, family member or anyone. For me, it’s the amalgamation of the good work blended with consistency. Anyone can be good for a short and brief period of time but it’s the consistency that matters. If you are able to endure, stretch things out and consistently be good, that’s what truly elevates you and separates the best from the rest. So yes, it could be any line of work. For me, those are the kind of people I gravitate towards and there’s no one specific person in my case.
Q9. How was your experience while working in a Reality show” Splitsvilla” for the first time?
It was very different from being part of a fictional content. Over there, you know everything right from your lines to other actor’s lines, the setting and everything. However, when you are doing reality TV, there are lot of variables that are completely not in your hands. Its also being shot in a linear way and everything is a building block into what’s set to happen next. There’s no retakes here and there’s so many different energies, contestants etc. Sometimes, the producers are also tweaking things on the spot and as we go and so it’s a constantly evolving massive machine which makes it thrilling. Being the host, I had the best seat in the house because I could see the raw emotions and the choices that these kids were making in real time. I saw it everyday over a period of 35-40 days which you all saw over a period of 4-5 months. So, it’s a very fascinating social and human experiment and I truly had a wonderful time hosting the show.
Q10. Do you think you have earned your due credit in the industry?
I definitely do feel that compared to where I was 5-7 years back, I have certainly earned my strives and earned a certain amount of credibility. I feel that hopefully whenever I have a project releasing, people know that there’s some quality attached to it and it’s just not something for the heck of it. There’s a lot of emphasis on quality ahead of quantity and I always go out of my way to ensure that I be the change that I want to see in the industry. I truly feel that we all must strive for quality over quantity. For me, its not about having 7-8 releases in a year. For me, I am more than happy if I have 3-4 (maximum) releases in a year. I feel that anything more than that, there’s a risk of wearing yourself to thin. I also feel that every actor has a bag of tricks and at the end of the day, you don’t want to go back to the well and see yourself dry because you have used all your tricks. I feel it’s very important to keep that in mind. You also need to make brave choices because if you keep playing safe, you won’t have fun and most importantly, the audience won’t have fun because they have seen you in the same mould for the longest time. So, you need to consistently venture out of the safe zone and let that dominance on your fear pave the way for excellence in your field.
Q11. What’s interesting in the near future for your fans?
Well, there’s Murshid which is a father-son story, I am playing a cop for the first time with Kay Kay Menon and Zakir Hussain alongside me. I play Kay Kay Menon’s son and it’s out on ZEE5 on 30th August. After that, there’s a really quirky film called ‘Johnny Jumper’ where I play a guy from Bhopal who’s a cable operator but also an undercover mole for local law enforcement there. Through a series of unfortunate events, he finds himself embroiled in a scam. That has got Brijendra Kalra, Zarina Wahab, Zakir Hussain alongside myself. I have got a show with Applause called ‘DAU’ aka ‘Domestic Anti-Terrorist Unit Mumbai’ that has Mustafa Burman and Rahul Dev in it. I also have a rom-com that’s tentatively titled ‘Puppy Love’ and it has Tridha Choudhary, Divya Agarwal and Nikki Tamboli in it. I am currently shooting for the second season of Rana Naidu with Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh sir, Surveen Chawla and lots of exciting additions to the second season. So yes, these are some of my exciting projects going forward.
