For those of us who were averse to TV serials, it wasn’t Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon but the psychological thriller Asur (2020) and the crime thriller Kohrra (2023) that introduced us to the acting prowess of Barun Sobti.
In Asur, we saw him in the role of a forensic-expert-turned-teacher who returns to the Central Bureau of Investigation to track down a serial killer. In Kohrra, he plays an assistant sub-inspector investigating the murder of a bridegroom two days before the wedding. Now, in Raat Jawaan Hai, we find him in a new adventure—raising kids. Not something we expected from Barun.
“I hear what you’re saying, but the idea was that I felt the intensity on the Indian OTT space was getting a bit too much. My wife and I were scrolling through television and noticed that everything was so serious. Around that time, this script came my way,” Barun tells us over a call.
Released on October 11 on Sony LIV, the series explores the unpredictable lives of three best friends—Radhika (Anjali Anand), Avinash (Barun Sobti), and Suman (Priya Bapat)—as they embark on a new journey: raising kids. The show offers a humorous glimpse into their journey, where sanity takes a backseat to diapers, careers, and friendships. It has been directed by Sumeet Vyas.
Being a parent himself, Barun reflects on the difference in children nowadays compared to when he was young. “I think kids today are far smarter, and the whole human race is evolving in that way. People are becoming more intelligent but a little less emotional. That’s where this show comes in handy—it helps you reconnect with your emotional side and humanity,” he says.
We ask him how he compares being a parent now to when his parents were raising him. Is it more stressful? Barun responds that he doesn’t know how his parents felt about raising children, but, simply put, he enjoys raising his kids, just as he had fun growing up with his parents.
Fan reactions, too, have evolved. “It’s a bit more objective now. Shows like Asur and Kohrra have such intense writing, delving into the psychology of the human mind. People are excited to discuss the writing when they meet us. Many fans I meet talk about how well-written the shows are and appreciate the subtlety. It’s very different from before when people would just ask for a picture. Now, it’s far more interactive,” Barun explains.
