New Delhi: In a riveting conversation Raj Kundra unraveled the untold stories behind the legal controversies, Kundra, entrepreneur, and now actor, engaged in a live audio chat on India’s largest multilingual social media platform, ShareChat to promote his upcoming movie, ‘UT 69’.
The live chat delved into Kundra’s personal journey, shedding light on his time in jail and the motivation that kept him going.”More than a legal trial, the media trial hurt me after all the controversy which happened, I was misunderstood, and I was heartbroken by it. My family was dragged and pulled down which was unfair to them.” said Raj Kundra.
Kundra also opened up about the genesis of his movie, sharing, “I wanted to write a book on my whole jail journey, but my friend told me that you should make it a movie, and you should act in it. When I wore a mask and came for the first time in front of the media, I was called the mask man. When I was out in public, people told me that I’m not able to show my face due to embarrassment, but it was my way of getting back at everybody who had given me a tough time. I was a victim of the system.”
Reflecting on his time in confinement, Kundra reveals, “When I was in jail, I was not given any luxury treatment. I was living and eating the same way the other people were. And I have captured all nuances in my movie—the way I was treated and the way I lived. Audiences will get to experience it. I recall my time behind bars vividly; it’s humiliating because they strip you down completely in front of everyone to check if you are carrying any narcotics. So, you feel like you have lost all your dignity. You feel like you have gone through so much, and now here also they are stripping you down. Media was already doing that, and now this also happened. I felt disheartened and hurt. You don’t get proper food or sleep, and people were talking lecherously about me and Shilpa.”
“I was put in a common barrack. Jail is like a Bigg Boss house; people there have big egos, and you can’t act oversmart. It’s an experience I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. I’ll be sharing more of my experience from jail time in my upcoming film, UT69. It’s a project close to my heart as it marks my official acting debut, and it’s a way for me to share the reality of what goes on behind those walls.”
Taking the unprecedented step of acting in his own life story, Kundra shares, “I’m acting in my own story, and it’s the first time, it has never happened before. The jail was filled with people’s egos, and it got more difficult to be around them. People can see it in the movie—how I have projected it.”
The actor-turned-entrepreneur emphasized the importance of basic necessities, stating, “In the time spent in jail, I learned the importance of food and water. I was struggling to get proper sleep; there was not a proper space to sleep. And I met a few people who were struggling to get out of jail because they had no one to pay their bail. After that with my legal team I have also helped a few people to get out of jail who had nobody to bail them.”
Reflecting on life’s unpredictability, Kundra remarks, “If someone told me five years ago that I’ll be doing a movie, I would have laughed. Life is unpredictable. I have stopped planning my life after what I have gone through in the past few years.”
Acknowledging his wife’s unwavering support, Kundra shares a touching moment, “My wife has been a hard rock support for me. There was a point in jail when I told her that if I have to live here for ten days more, I’ll come out in a box, but she gave me strength and power and told me that this time will go away and reminded me that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
On strong marriage, he commented “Your life partner should be your best friend, and then any circumstances you can go through them. We respect each other’s feelings and have found a middle line. We have no ego in our marriage; we give each other the due credit, and that’s how we have been together.”
Talking about his supportive friends from the industry he expressed his gratitude, “R Madhavan, Rohit Roy, Harman Baweja, supported me during my tough time. They have been my confidantes and my best friends. Madhavan is a great friend; he has always given the right guidance and advice in life. During my tough time, his support was something that exemplifies what a great friend he is. True friends are the pillars that hold you up even in the darkest times.”
The live chat concluded with a lively rapid-fire segment, where Raj gave some savage reactions. Speaking about the feud between him and Urfi, Raj said, “Urfi and I dissing each other was a stunt we both planned. She is a very creative and sweet girl” When asked about which Bollywood actress he would cast opposite him, he replied, “Deepika Padukone is an actress I’d cast opposite myself, she’s my favorite.” Talking about appearing on “Koffee with Karan,” he mentioned, “Koffee with Karan pe kisi ka bhala nahi hua hai.” He also added, “Couple creators I admire: Shahid-Mira, very underrated. Ranveer overacted in Cirkus, but he’s still my favorite actor.”
In the live chat on ShareChat Raj Kundra bared his soul and shared the resilience that fueled his journey from controversy to cinema with over 93K listeners. His story was nothing short of inspiring and motivational for all the listeners!