Tanuj Virwani on Murder Meri Jaan: It's comedy for the audience, tragedy for my character

After working as the lead actor in shows like Inside Edge and Poison, Tanuj Virwani became a popular name in the OTT landscape. He will be extending his online presence with his upcoming Disney+ Hotstar show Murder Meri Jaan, opposite Barkha Singh.

Ahead of the show’s release, the actor talks to OTTplay in an exclusive interview about shooting for Murder Meri Jaan amid COVID-19 pandemic, while also sharing updates about his upcoming web shows Inside Edge and Code M 2. Excerpts from the interview:

We know you play a cop in Murder Meri Jaan. Tell us more about the character.

It's a really interesting role, because on the exterior he's this tough male cop but on the inside, he's a boy next door who wishes to start a family. He falls head over heels for a girl, who he later realises is conning him. That puts him in a tough spot as he can't tell anybody about her because of his reputation. It's a comedy for the audience, but tragedy for him, which made playing the part exciting.

A con artist gets married to a top cop - that's the synopsis of Murder Meri Jaan. That seems like a gender-swapped version of the Professor and Raquel from Money Heist.

To be honest, the whole genre and vibe of Money Heist was very different from what we're trying to bring forth. This is more like Charlie Chaplin or Ben Stiller movies, in the sense that the guy is always in a tragically-funny situation. This guy is sharp but he didn't see this coming. If he tells his seniors that he has fallen in love with the girl that he has been chasing for the past three months, he would become the butt of all jokes.

You were shooting for the show when the second wave of COVID-19 started. What kept you going despite the alarming situation?

We shot in February and a bit in March this year. We were shooting in Bhopal and tried taking as many precautions as possible. At that time, the state was not as adversely affected by COVID-19, so we formed a bio-bubble. Then it just gets down to having trust in each and every member of the team. We actually got lucky. I signed the project on January 29 and was back in Mumbai in March, so I am really grateful.

How was it working with Barkha Singh, who is a popular face?

Fantastic. We didn't know each other prior to the shoot. She's really hard working, talented and fun to be around. I love actors who understand when their or their co-stars' scenes are, and she was one of those. I hope to work with her again soon.

What is the latest update on Inside Edge?

Fortunately, we were done with the shoot before the pandemic, so it's been in post-production for a while. The reason we haven't seen it yet is because there's a lot of VFX work and there are 10 episodes of 45 minutes each. I believe the delay is also because the studios have been opening and shutting due to lockdown. Even though it's taking time, I'm sure it will be worth the wait. I assure you that the audiences are in for something special. I'm not just a cast member, but also a huge fan of the show.

Have you been approached for the second season of Masaba Masaba?

No. I had done my part as a friendly gesture. If they have something for me though, I'd love to be a part of it again.

Which other projects do you have in your kitty?

I also have Tandoor, which will be streamed on MX Player and is based on the infamous 1995 Tandoor murder case in Delhi. It also has Rashami Desai. Post that, I have Code M 2 with Jennifer Winget, Illegals 2 with Neha Sharma and Piyush Mishra. Then there's Cartel, an AltBalaji show based on land mafia, that is set in suburban Mumbai. It also has Rithvik Dhanjani, Supriya Pathak, Monica Dogra, Tannishhtha Chatterjee and Samir Soni.

I also have a web film with Daisy Shah, which is a lockdown-based love story. There are also other projects which I'm not at liberty to speak about yet.