Kunal Nayyar From 'The Big Bang Theory' Talks With Chit Chat Gal
Chit Chat Gal got a chance to speak with Kunal Nayyar, one of the stars of the new CBS comedy 'The Big Bang Theory' about the show and his new found stardom. 'The Big Bang Theory' airs Monday's at 8:30PM EST on CBS.
Your character on The Big Bang Theory (Koothrappali) has quite a long name that I would assume is pretty hard to pronounce. Have you and your fellow actors had a hard time getting it out during the production of the show?
Surprisingly my character's name rolls off the tongue pretty easily for everyone. It is my real name (Kunal) that sometimes is harder for the directors, producers, and writers and they have a harder time getting that out correct. I have heard some really fantastic versions of my name from them.
What is it like being the 'new guy' to show business and landing a big TV show like The Big Bang Theory?
Amazing. My career has taken off pretty quickly. I have been in the right place at the right time, but I feel like I have earned it from my time in theatre and doing stuff in India.
You did a guest stint on NCIS how was that experience?
It was my first TV experience. I had done a lot in India, but this took off very quickly for me. As I said before I was in the right place at the right time. It all came very easy for me, but it was fun because I got to play a terrorist and I am such the opposite of that which was great.
How is working on a one hour drama different from working on a 30-minute sitcom?
Well the biggest difference is working in front of a studio audience and working with four cameras vs. a single camera for dramas. Also with the dramas there is take after take. With sitcoms you are playing to the audience that is watching you as well as the cameras and I am so used to doing that from my stage work.
Have you guys gotten the chance to do any improv yet or are you just working with the scripts?
The writing is so good and we are so new that we haven't really done any improv, but they allow us to do physical stuff and move props and such.
Your character has trouble with the ladies. You don’t talk much but we did get to hear your thoughts when Penny was talking to you. Will we eventually see you actually talk with Penny and will she help you break out of your shell?
I think we will eventually hear much more from Koothrappali. It may be season 10 before we actually hear him speak more than a few words but it will happen. Coming up we will see him in an interesting situation with a woman and trying to be social out at a party although I think he will always be a little awkward about it all.
Leonard and Sheldon are physicist's and Penny works at the Cheesecake Factory, we haven't really been told what your character does, so is he a physicist as well?
Yes all four of the guys work at the UCLA lab and eventually you will get to seem them at work.
So does this mean we will get to see where the other guys live and their lives outside of Sheldon and Leonard's place?
Yes we are going to go in-depth into all of their lives.
Being a nerd or geek is popular on TV right now, there is Chuck on NBC and you guys on CBS so would you say that your character is more a nerd, or a geek or neither?
Actually I think Koothrappali is a sexy beast [laughs]. Well I would say that he is a geek-nerd who is a nerd-geek. He is just a very smart guy who lives in a bubble and doesn't really care what is going on around him as long as particle physics is evolving his life is good.
Is there anything coming up for your character that you can divulge?
I think we will see Koothrappali evolve and become a little more social with women. Hopefully his inability to speak will evolve soon. He will always be socially awkward but hopefully he will figure it out a little bit. Or maybe we will learn that he has a secret at home like a talking robot or something.
