One of TV’s original sex symbols, Dr Armaan from the hugely popular Dill Mill Gayye, Karan Singh Grover is awaiting the box-office verdict on his lead man act in Alone. Dressed in all black, Karan is sipping on Red Bull when t2 drops in to meet the actor in Mumbai. He kicks his slippers before stretching his legs on a second chair and says: “Let’s start talking.” And, we do. After all, there is so much to ask, including why he calls Bipasha Basu a “doofus”. 

Alone is not your debut film, is it?
That’s right. I have done a film before this, but it never got released. 

That was Bhram in 2008, right?
2008 was when that film released. I had shot it in 2005. I had a very small role in the film. By that time I was already doing Dill Mill Gayye on TV. I had done another film before Bhram called I am 24 that Saurabh Shuklaji had directed and acted in. But that released only two 
years ago. 

What made Alone the perfect ‘hero’ debut for you?
It’s the fact that I am working with a director (Bhushan Patel) who has delivered two hits (1920: Evil Returns and Ragini MMS 2) and I am cast opposite Bipasha Basu, who is such a good actor.

Did you know Bipasha when you signed up for the film?
No. I had met her briefly when I was doing a show called Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and she was a guest judge. 

Do you remember when you first met her for the film?
I can never forget that meeting! (Chuckles) When I got a call for this film, I was on a break from acting. I had decided to learn the other aspects of filmmaking. I wanted to know what happens around the camera and how films or TV shows are made. I had a really long beard, long hair that was in a top knot and my nose was pierced. When Bhushan sir saw me like that, I got a proper dressing down. He told me that they ‘already have a heroine in the film and they need a man for the film’. 
Bhushan sir made me get a haircut before I met Bipasha. And I had to shave off the beard. He wouldn’t allow me to meet Bipasha till I had cut my hair! I was also told to dress up properly and wear shoes….

You don’t wear shoes?!
I… I don’t like wearing shoes. I prefer slippers, but even those I don’t wear. I leave my slippers around and walk barefeet everywhere. I feel really hot when I wear shoes! Also, I feel 
dis-balanced when I wear shoes… like there is something wrong with the universe (laughs). Yes, I know I am strange. Anyway, so I went to meet Bipasha. I felt like it was my first day at school and I had to impress the teacher, otherwise she’d not admit me (laughs). Don’t tell Bipasha I said that!
(Almost as if she had heard this, Bipasha walks into the room. After a round of ‘Hi’ and hugs, Karan tells her, “I was just telling Karishma how I dressed up to meet you the first time.” ‘Isn’t he so weird?’ Bipasha asks me. ‘How can someone not like wearing shoes?’ Karan who had initially invited Bipasha to sit in on the interview decides he doesn’t want two women “ganging up” on him.)

Did Bipasha turn out to be the kind of person you expected her to be?
Honestly, when you have someone as hot as Bipasha, I don’t think men take the time to think about the kind of person she would be! (Laughs) You are just happy to be working with someone as hot as her. It’s only once you start working with her that you release how goofy she is. She is very blind and a complete doofus. She says the most inappropriate things and doesn’t even realise it. She is scared of everything. The connection between her mouth and brain gets severed when she is tired. And she says the craziest things. 

I have asked Bipasha this, so it’s only fair that I ask you as well. Are you seeing each other?
Nope. 

Then does being written or spoken about as the reason for the ending of two relationships (Karan’s marriage to Jennifer Winget and Bipasha’s relationship with Harman Baweja) make it awkward for you to be around Bipasha?
This film came to us at a point when we were both going through our own s**t. Neither had anything to do with the other person. Things seemed to be happening in our lives simultaneously, so I can see why people think that we are responsible for ending each other’s relationships. I can only speak for myself… I am just thankful that I had this film at that point in my life. I could channelise all that was going on in my personal life into my work. 

How do you describe your relationship with Bipasha?
We are almost like twins. In many ways, we are like mirror images of each other. We are… friends. If I say anything more, I know it will become a big deal. So that’s where I’ll leave it. We are friends. 

So do you see this friendship maturing into something more? 
I don’t see any relationship for me for a long time. I have lived my life in a certain way… I am at a point in my life where I need to introspect. I need to understand who I am before I get to how I need to be for the person in my life. I need to find myself before I add another person to my life. I have only been in serious relationships all my life. I have never really been single. The last time I was single was in 2004. It’s very important for me to concentrate on myself right now. 

Does being single scare you?
(Pauses) Yeah… I guess. Maybe it’s because I have realised that I am not emotionally as strong as I thought I am. Maybe I need an emotional anchor… a crutch at all times. And, that’s not healthy for a relationship. This is something that I need to understand and hopefully change about myself. I recently read that if you are not happy alone, you can never make anyone else happy. 

Karishma Upadhyay
Will Karan Singh Grover make it big in Bolly? Tell t2@abp.in