First of Many: Samir Kochhar revisits Valentine Days

Actor Samir Kochhar has tried a number of issues in his profession. While he’s been a part of movies like Zeher, Jannat and Housefull 3, his stint in TV present Bade Achhe Lagte Hain stays a fan favorite.
Samir has additionally dabbled within the digital area with reveals like The Test Case, Sacred Games, Typewriter and Four More Shots Please! He additionally hosts the pre-match Indian Premier League present Extraaa Innings T20 yearly.
But how did Samir’s showbiz profession start? Here’s what the actor shared:
1. What was your first undertaking? How did it come to you?
My first movie undertaking was Valentine Days (2003). I used to be internet hosting a journey present in Vijaywada. I acquired a name from a casting director in Delhi that there’s a movie taking place, so come again and audition for it. Since the practice journey took two days, I acquired onto it the identical day. Throughout the journey, I hoped that I get the position. I used to be the final particular person to stroll into the audition room. I used to be chosen for the movie.
Cinema again then was a distinct factor. We are speaking about 2000s. You can name it a rom-com with three cool guys and one lady. There was a candy man who confessed his love for the lady. My character had gray shades. I used to be the aggressive one among the many three.
Valentine Days launched in 2003.
2. What do you bear in mind of your first day on set?
They informed me it is going to be shot within the hills and different locations, and that it’s an enormous movie with this complete Gen X angle to it. Coming from Delhi, I by no means thought I’d be part of one thing like this.
My first schedule was in Mussourie. On my first day of shoot, I needed to experience a skateboard, cease at a degree, flip that skateboard and say my strains. The complete unit was me, and the director requested me if I’m prepared. I mentioned sure. He requested me to mark my motion, and I didn’t know what that meant. He defined to me my place and that this was my mark. I mentioned what if I don’t contact the mark, and he mentioned no we will’t try this as there’s one thing referred to as focus. I used to be bang on the mark throughout the rehearsal. But when the director mentioned “Roll sound, camera, action”, I froze and didn’t know what to do. But simply earlier than he was about to say “cut”, I believed to myself, do it now, or this isn’t taking place. I pushed myself on the skateboard, got here on my spot and mentioned my strains. I forgot that I used to be alleged to stroll away from the digital camera, and my ADs stored gesturing me to maneuver. I by some means managed, and the director acquired his shot within the first take itself. I bear in mind after the shot, everybody on set clapped. It was a enjoyable day. It’s an expertise I look again and bear in mind.
3. Were you nervous? How many retakes did you are taking?
Today, cameras have gone digital. That time it was the cinemascope reel digital camera. We had been informed that 4 minutes of footage is price Rs 12,000, so there shouldn’t be any retakes. So, I used to be tremendous nervous. I didn’t know which approach the skateboard will go as a result of first there was a worry of doing a movie, after which I can not do retakes. I hadn’t seen so many individuals as a part of a crew. All the chaos on set, with so many individuals doing issues concurrently, was very unnerving for a 19-20-year-old man.
A poster of Valentine Days.
4. How was the rapport along with your co-stars once you acquired to satisfy or work with them once more?
I’m nonetheless in contact with Manoj Bidwai, although he doesn’t act an excessive amount of now. He began his personal enterprise. Then there was Nikhil Sakhrani. I feel he’s modified his identify now. There was a woman referred to as Sita Thompson who was from the US, and Alyque Padamsee had a significant position in casting her. He additionally gave artistic inputs.
5. If given an opportunity to return to your debut position, what would you want to vary or do higher?
I used to be a 20-year-old child who didn’t know a lot in life. Nobody in my household is related to this world. I got here to Mumbai to pursue my ardour. Today, I inform the director to vary the script a bit of and make it higher. Most scripts look fantastic on paper, however prove not pretty much as good. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Valentine Days movie didn’t see the quantity of affection we wished it to see. But it was a studying curve for me. I feel I realized not simply what I ought to do, but additionally what I shouldn’t do. But, it’ll stay particular as a result of it acquired me to Mumbai. Though, it may’ve been a significantly better movie.
Today, I select my tasks extra properly. I see what platforms they might go to or how they’re planning to launch the movie. Now, I’ve confronted the digital camera lengthy sufficient to know what’s working and what’s not. That time, my principal concern was that I shouldn’t neglect my strains. I’ve completely no regrets about what I’ve finished.
Also Read | First of Many: Gajraj Rao | Vivek Oberoi | Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub | Rajpal Yadav | Rajeev Khandelwal | Govind Namdev | Neena Gupta | Pankaj Tripathi | Satish Kaushik | Mohit Raina | Shahid Kapoor | Anang Desai | Jimmy Sheirgill | Tabu | Harsh Chhaya | Gaurav Gera | Saurabh Shukla | Deepak Dobriyal | Seema Pahwa | Annup Sonii | Sayantani Ghosh | Annu Kapoor | Ajay Devgn | Vishal Malhotra | Rahul Khanna | Ashutosh Rana | Jaaved Jaaferi | Ashwath Bhatt | Varun Badola | Renuka Shahane | Taapsee Pannu | Manoj Bajpayee | Milind Soman | Rajkummar Rao | Akhilendra Mishra | Rohit Roy | Suchitra Pillai | Gulshan Grover | Abhay Deol | Ashwini Kalsekar | Adil Hussain | Shweta Tiwari | Purab Kohli | Mita Vasisht | Vipin Sharma | Divya Dutta | Jaideep Ahlawat | Archana Puran Singh | Daya Shankar Pandey | Hina Khan | Rajesh Tailang | Urvashi Dholakia | Manish Chaudhari | Sheeba Chadha | Karanvir Bohra | Bhairavi Raichura | Pratik Gandhi | Konkona Sen Sharma | Gurmeet Choudhary | Lakshmi Manchu | Zakir Hussain | Nimrat Kaur | Hiten Tejwani | Ayesha Raza Mishra | Ali Fazal | Riya Sen | Rakesh Bedi 
6. One movie or position that impressed you to turn out to be an actor?
I bear in mind watching lots of Amitabh Bachchan movies. His persona was spellbinding. I watched lots of world cinema too.