Tanuj Virwani may be from a filmy family, but the actor has been building his own identity in the industry. Though his film career hasn’t taken off yet, he has tasted success on OTT platforms with shows such as Inside Edge, Poison, Code M and now his latest show on Disney + Hotstar titled The Tattoo Murders. The son of veteran actor Rati Agnihotri, Tanuj talks exclusively to Telangana Today about his new show.
Tanuj plays Prahar Pratap, a local don and dreaded antagonist in The Tattoo Murders that’s set in Mumbai’s Kamathipura area. “It’s been an interesting experience for me because I’ve never played an outright negative role before. When you’re the face of the show, there’s a responsibility that comes with it. In The Tattoo Murders, Meera Chopra is the protagonist, so it has given me the freedom to explore a different side of myself. I credit the OTT platforms for allowing me these liberties and not getting typecast,” shares Tanuj.
Interestingly enough, the actor’s next Tandoor with Rashami Desai also sees him in a negative role. However, Tanuj says that it’s not about playing a grey character or a hero, the story has to be appealing. Given the current Covid situation, he is taking some time off and staying with his father in Lonavla. His upcoming projects include season 3 of Inside Edge, season 2 of Code M, ALT Balaji project titled Cartel and another show with Barkha Singh.
From working in advertising, then as an assistant director to now as an actor – Tanuj has come a long way. He feels acting has now become an addiction for him. “I am a huge fan of Telugu and Tamil movies and I would love to work down in the South too someday. I was very impressed with the film Eega. The work ethic in South India is far better than Mumbai. Back in the days, I would come to Hyderabad with my mom for her shoots, and I’ve also been to the city by myself a couple of times. I love how it has grown over the years and I love its biryani. I was mighty impressed with the infrastructure at Ramoji Film City,” shares Tanuj.