The advent of OTT has meant that for the actors in the arena, there is a new avtar that can be explored in quick succession. None other than the Tanuj Virwani could well be enjoying this welcome stage set for himself as in a matter of just 8 months in 2021, he would now be seen in his forth outing. If the year started with Kamathipura, there was Murder Meri Jaan that followed. A few days back arrived Tandoor and now he is up for the release of Cartel.
“The best part about Tanuj in the OTT space today is that you can’t box him in an image,” says an insider, “The fact that he was a hardcore villain in Kamathipura was revealed only in the dying minutes of the show. In Murder Meri Jaan he was seen in an action-comedy space. Tandoor had him go all intense as the jilted husband and a murderer. Now in Cartel, he would be seen as a ruthless gangster for whom family comes first. What more would an actor want?”
Tanuj would agree, considering the fact that this time around in Cartel, he is playing a soldier who returns from the battlefield, only to take care of a business empire set up by Supriya Pathak. Playing a character who has moved on from bring the man in uniform to someone who takes on the baddies of the underworld, it has been quite some change for Tanuj.
“To play Major bhau was really interesting because gangster drama space happens to be my favourite genre,” says Tanuj, “I have loved films like Satya and Company and have a soft corner for such films. Hence when Cartel came my way, it was truly a dream come true.”
A soldier who turns into a gangster? Well, that indeed seems like a first for screen.
Chuckles Tanuj, “Well, I won’t make references to so and so character from where my part has been inspired since I don’t want to undermine the fabulous work done by my writers. However I can say that my part has been somewhat inspired by Michael Corleone of The Godfather. When I read the script, which by the way was huge at 400 pages, I was fascinated to note that there are so many avenues in which this guy conducts his business. I truly had a ball.”
We would like to see all of that in motion once Cartel arrives on ALT Balaji and MX Player on 20th August.