Luck ka nahin pataa… kab click kar jaaoge aur kisey dikh jaaoge pataa nahin!” — Prince Narula, whose “luck” made him ace three back-to-back reality shows —Roadies X2, Splitsvilla 8 and Bigg Boss 9 — was in Calcutta recently to perform at Black lounge, Aauris, on Robinson Street. t2 caught up with the 26-year-old small-screen heart-throb on being Mr Popular.
You don’t come to Calcutta often, but you have a lot of female fans here...
I always wanted to come to Calcutta because when I had come here the first time (in March this year), people showered so much love. So this time, I grabbed the opportunity to come here after cancelling a show in Ludhiana. I couldn’t meet all my fans last time because I was in a rush. My fans are my family, so I am here to meet my big family. I went shopping at Quest mall where people recognised me and couldn’t believe that I was actually there shopping!
Is the name Prince lucky for you?
Koi afford nahin kar sakta yeh naam! Main afford kar sakta hoon isliye! (Grins) Meri naani ne diya tha yeh naam. My actual name is Braveen Narula. Prince naam mera reality shows mein zyada famous hua hai, isliye uske baad sab Prince bulaate hain! My brother and sister call me Pinchu! (Laughs)
How would Prince/ Braveen describe himself?
I do what I like! I am focused. I maintain my relationships with everybody. People say that relationships made in reality shows are fake, but whatever relationships I have made in Roadies, Bigg Boss and Splitsvilla, I have maintained all.
What’s the formula to win a reality show?
There is nothing of that sort. Whenever I go to a show, I look at it like it’s my last show. I tell myself that if I don’t perform well, my life won’t be good. That’s why main jab bhi task mein utarta tha toh poore junoon ke saath utarta tha. My focus was ki mujhe jeetna hai... magar hamesha dil se khelta tha.
What will your advice be for youngsters from small towns who want to be where you are?
Be real! Only then can you relate to people who are watching you. Even if you make mistakes, the audience will forgive you. Be focused about what you want... some people go there (to reality shows) for fun and fame. Kisi ko sirf camera pe aana hai... woh toh bahut log dikhte hain TV pe. Aur bhi tareeke hain uske liye. I tell everybody that we don’t give anything to the show, but these shows give us a lot. Respect the show because if you do that, then only you can win.
You are a ‘gang leader’ on the current season of Roadies, replacing wrestler Sushil Kumar. Do you think you were a fitting replacement for an icon like him?
Obviously, I also believe that Sushil Sir is a legend. I get inspired by him. Jab main aaya tha iss show mein, contestants responded well. Many people tweeted about it. Feedback has been positive. Till now, I am the fave gang leader on the show because I have played the game before. I know how to win. I have been an unbeatable performer. My gang won the maximum number of tasks and I have taught them to win.
Rannvijay Singha has been your mentor. Why do you get into silly arguments with him on the show?
Main, Karan (Kundra, another gang leader on Roadies) and Rannvijay are brothers! Woh hamaari nonk-jhonk chalti hai! Even if I say something wrong, I apologise. Now that I am a gang leader, I have to take responsibility for my gang’s progress. I will do my best to take them ahead in the game.
Spiltsvilla’s format is very different from Roadies. How did you click there?
Spiltsvilla is a show of friendship. It doesn’t have Roadies-type tasks. You have to win tasks to be the ‘king’ or you have to form a strong bond with fellow contestants so that they don’t vote you out. One has to be real and respect the others.
What’s next for you on TV?
I will host Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya on Zing. I will also do a youth fiction show called Dum Laga Ke. I am doing a film very soon.
You have sung a Punjabi single called Shaukeen munde. When did the music bug bite you?
There will be two more songs soon. One is a Punjabi single and the other is with Suyyash Rai (fellow Bigg Boss 9 contestant). My family is into singing. Mere khoon mein hai. Bhagwan ne talent diya hai and so I have utilised it because I have time now. The response has been good.
After having achieved so much at such an early age, what’s your dream now?
I don’t want to become a star! I want to become an actor. I want to live a happy life. Future mein meri jab shaadi ho jaaye main chahta hoon ki mere paas time ho for my wife and family, so that I can work and at the same time be able to spend time with them. Mujhe hazaar crore nahin kamana hai... mujhe utna kamana hai jismein main aur meri family khush rahein… bas!
And where do you see yourself five years from now?
Paanch saal bahut hai! Maine pichhle ek saal mein jo kiya hai... (trails off). I always make small targets of what I want to achieve in the next six months. Whatever fame I have earned is very difficult to maintain. Songs, reality shows, fiction… main har jagah dikhunga! Log mujhe itna pasand karte hain toh main jo bhi kaam karunga woh mujhe dekhte rahenge.
You are quite active on Twitter (@princenarula88). How do you handle Internet trolling and negativity?
I never feel bad. I think if he or she is not my fan then he must be somebody else’s fan. I can’t expect the whole world to love me! Somebody will obviously hate me. If there are no haters, how will I know that I am successful? They motivate me to move ahead.
As far as fitness goes, you have moved on from bodybuilding to functional and cross-fit training. Why the shift?
In our profession, bodybuilding doesn’t work so I had to let go of that. I started focusing on being lean. I had lost a lot of weight in the Bigg Boss house because I didn’t get much to eat, but now I have put on weight again. In functional training, one gets fit and one’s endurance and stamina increases. The core becomes strong, which helps in the kind of shows I do.
Are you a sports fan?
I used to play hockey. I was a professional bhangra dancer. I follow a bit of cricket. Virat (Kolhi) and (MS) Dhoni are my faves.
What has been your craziest fan proposal?
A girl stood outside my Chandigarh house for 15 days because she wanted to marry me!
Ratnalekha Mazumdar
I am a Prince Narula fan because...Tell t2@abp.in
