A familiar face from Indian television, Barun Sobti, known for his portrayal of Arnav Singh Raizada in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, recently opened up about the initial hurdles he faced in the entertainment industry and his family’s reaction to his career choice. The actor revealed that his mother wasn’t entirely supportive, and he himself harbored doubts about his acting prowess in his early days.
During an interview, Barun Sobti recounted his parents’ response to his decision to pursue acting. He shared, “My mom said ki beta har koi Shah Rukh Khan nahi banta hai (son, not everybody becomes Shah Rukh Khan) and my reply to mom was mujhe Shah Rukh Khan nahi banna hai (I don’t even want to be Shah Rukh Khan). If I go and try to do something, I want to be my own person.”
Sobti also admitted to his own initial skepticism about his performances, particularly in his debut TV show, Shraddha, in 2009. He candidly stated, “I was so bad. When I started getting paid at that time, I was like ‘why are these guys paying me’. I am not taking anything away from me but I was bad.”
His last television appearance was in the third season of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon in 2017. Sobti previously told Digital Commentary that his move away from television was largely due to the industry’s prioritizing financial gains over creative innovation. He expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of writing in television, which he felt didn’t align with his long-term career goals. “When capital goes ahead of creativity, then it becomes a little unsatisfactory. And the characters start overliving their span, and the quality of writing goes really down. I always wanted to invest in longevity. I do not believe in investing in the short term,” he explained.
Since then, Barun Sobti has successfully transitioned to films and web series. He gained significant recognition for his roles in Netflix’s Kohrra and Asur, with his most recent appearance being in SonyLIV’s Raat Jawaan Hai.
