he simultaneously built a successful banquet and event management business, knowing how uncertain a career in Bollywood could be While he pursued his passion for theatre from the age of 20. Nearly three decades later, at 48, he finally made his big-screen debut with Udta Teer . For Rupinder Walia, acting was always the dream, but financial security was a priority too. Playing Sodhi, a Haryanvi-speaking Sikh cop in Ayushmann Khurrana ‘s team, Rupinder brings a generous dose of humour to the film, making his character one of its most entertaining elements.
This business I have built over time, working since I was 20. I won’t do any role for money. Then the casting team auditioned me,” he revealed.
Because i didn’t want to come to Mumbai and struggle, “I always wanted to be financially stable. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Rupinder opened up about his journey from theatre to films, how he landed his role in Udta Teer, why he never wanted to move to Mumbai to struggle for work, and his kids’ reaction to the movie. Despite being passionate about acting, Rupinder was always clear that he wanted financial independence before entering the film industry. “I come from a middle-class family. I was aware that this film line is very uncertain. Rupinder added that he was never interested in television and did not want to move to Mumbai without having a financial cushion. So I used to satisfy my desire to act by performing in theatre plays and running my business alongside. Everyone should maintain their financial stability. Rupinder credits his long association with theatre for helping him land the role in Udta Teer. “Akash Kaushik and I were in the same theatre group at one point, so we knew each other. He had seen me speaking Haryanvi in several plays, so my introduction with him goes back years. Get ready, I am taking you beyond theatre to the big cinema. “We have a joint family, and I have twins, a son and a daughter. They have gone crazy watching the film. During the screening, many people came to take pictures with me.
He had something in mind, and one day, surprisingly, he came to my house and said, ‘I am doing a film with you. the actor says one of his biggest rewards has been seeing his children’s reaction to it While making his Bollywood debut has been a milestone for Rupinder. My kids had a sparkle in their eyes, as if their father had become a star,” he says.
Today, OTT platforms have taken over, and we see different kinds of cinema being made, but when I was young, the industry was ruled by stardom and even getting character roles was difficult,” he said. Today, by God’s grace, I don’t have to accept a role I am not comfortable with just for financial reasons.
He also believes that the emergence of OTT platforms and changes in the casting process have made things easier for aspiring actors. “Now there are OTT platforms as well, and casting directors call you right here in Delhi. There is no need to go to Mumbai. You can just shoot your audition on your phone and send it. If they like it, they will call you. I think the door-to-door struggle has ended. Coming from a middle-class family, I sometimes found it very awkward. But that has also ended now.
I can send my audition from the comfort of my home,” he said.
For an actor, earlier there were embarrassing moments of standing in a queue outside a casting director’s office.
