interview
Focused – Gunjan Utreja | Cover Feature | Fashion Herald
Gunjan is one of the most sought after names in the field of entertainment.
The charming and witty host of shows like THE VOICE & BUBBLE BAAT rose to fame with his extraoridinary talent, discipline and hard work. Fashion Herald’s Abhishek Tiwari spoke to Gunjan about his notable career as an anchor and a promising acting career ahead.
Hailing from the vibrant city of Chandigarh, Gunjan was very focussed on what he wanted to be when he came to Mumbai. He dropped out of a prominent business school to pursue his dreams of being an entertainer. He did his mass communication; followed by masters in dramatics from Punjab University, Chandigarh.
Gunjan made sure he was well prepared to come to Mumbai. “I did my Masters in dramatics as I wanted to understand the field of entertainment.”
The Anchor
Gunjan wanted to be an anchor from the start. He dreamt of having a talk show of his own. “I grew up watching Movers & Shakers and aspired to have my own talk show one day.” In 2017 he fulfilled his dream when he created world’s 1st ever celebrity chat show in a bathroom BUBBLE BAAT on ZEE5. The show went on win multiple awards and became one of the most watched talk shows on any OTT platform.
Gunjan Utreja is India’s most versatile anchor, known for his wit & quirky one liners.
His talk show ‘ Not Just Supper star ‘ on Zee5 made him win ‘Best Talk show host’ 2020 at Screenxx awards & the ‘Best Anchor’ award at Gold Glam & style awards.
Gunjan also created India’s 1st ever game show under lockdown – ‘ Chalk & Cheese ‘ for Jio cinema & Jio studios. The show went on to become one of the most love and viewed show on Jio platforms. Chalk & Cheese won the ‘Best game show’ award at Screenxx awards.
When asked if he felt pressured by the big names that are entering in the anchoring industry, quoting the famous lines From Henry Ford, he says- “Obstacles are those things which you see when you are not focused on the goal”’. He likes to be aware but is never interested in what others are doing in the field. He always focuses on what he wants to do and doing it the best you can. He always believed in himself and his talents. It is a matter of great privilege that Gunjan has performed in almost all the big cities of the world till now.
The Actor
Lots of people do not know that apart from being a talented host, Gunjan Utreja is also an extremely talented actor. Over the years Gunjan has been part of various plays. Apart from featuring in multiple music videos, the actor is all set to make his big debut as an actor on the OTT in 2022.
Gunjan is a great example of talents who came from outside the industry and made it big. He has remained an ardent believer of the fact that industry and the fact that if you are hard working and develop your talents well, then the industry will always reward you. He also breaks the myth that nepotism runs the industry. Citing examples of most successful actors, he says that most of them don’t have an industry background, still they made it big. People love you because of your work, not because of your background. They may give you a chance because of it, but if you don’t meet expectations, you are out.
Fashion Style
While his journey is worth looking at, Gunjan’s style statement is also something that will make you instantly fall in love with him.
“I grew up in a family with a great fashion sense. It basically comes from my father. He is still far more fashionable than I am.” According to Gunjan, style is more about your personality. Your vibe is reflected in everything you do.
When not on stage, Gunjan is seen mostly sporting athleisure with cool sneakers
He says he developed a love for white sneakers since childhood. On stage he is very experimental and loves colors. “Stylists have a very good time working with me”.
Motivations
““ I don’t have any favorites in my life. I see something good in everyone I meet. I am attracted to the fineness of what the persona has done rather than the personality itself, I love Mahendra Singh Dhoni, not because of how many matches he has won, but because of his mindset, the way he conducts himself on the field.” Other names, which have inspired Gunjan, include the likes of Conan O’Brian, Graham Norton, Elon musk.
Ongoing and Upcoming Projects
The Socho Project – A soon to be released web series where people will see a very different side of Gunjan. The dark shade character being played by Gunjan is going to surprise his fans ! As a sneak peak, Gunjan plays a rockstar. It will be India’s first ever web series which has around 28 songs in it.
