What inspired you to take up acting?

I’ve always been interested in acting. My dad is also an actor and he has inspired me a great deal. As a child I was part of television series such as Roopmati and Bhid Dekhi Bhid Samma as well as a few radio dramas. When Prachanda Man Shrestha came up with the concept for Visa Girl and subsequently asked me to take up the role of Riyaz, I decided to give films a shot. It has been two years since I’ve been in the film industry now, and I have enjoyed every bit of the experience.

What kinds of films do you like watching?

I am a huge movie buff and make it a point to watch at least one film every night. I also regularly visit local theatres to watch new releases. Since I really like Johnny Depp, his movies are amongst some of my favourites. He is a brilliant actor and portrays his characters exceptionally well. I also admire Anurag Kashyap’s work. The director is one of the best filmmakers in contemporary Indian cinema and I enjoyed his Gangs of Wasseypur thoroughly. In terms of Nepali cinema, Nischal Basnet is someone I hold in high regard. I also really enjoy Prachanda Man Shrestha’s work and have always had a great time working with him. I am actually looking forward to being able to work with both of them in the future.

Are you much of a traveller? Any interesting travel anecdotes?

I love travelling. I often taken my motorcycle to places all over the country and anyone who knows me will know for sure that the moment I get out of the Valley, I have this wide smile on my face. I’ve been to places like Pokhara, Dolakha, Charikot, and Jiri so far and would like to trek all the way to Annapurna base camp and Rara Lake in the future.

I remember an amazing trip I took with my friends some time ago. We hadn’t really planned on venturing outside of Pokhara but made an impromptu decision to take our bikes to Jomsom instead. I ride an Enfield and the bike was too heavy for the Pokhara-Jomsom road so it was not exactly easy getting there. It was a rough ride actually and it took us almost two days to reach Jomsom but the trip was absolutely incredible.

What about gadgets? Are you passionate about technology as well?

Not at all. As far as gadgets are concerned, I’m rather old school. The phone I carry is pretty basic and I have this habit of losing my mobile all too often. I invest in music equipment and instruments instead.

Do your real interests lie in music then?

I play the guitar now and then and used to have a band earlier. My friends and I used to play gigs around town before we started getting involved in other things and the group eventually dispersed. I tried playing with other bands after that but we just didn’t click. I would still like to continue making music. It’s a passion though and not a career choice. I do listen to music a lot and am a fan of classic rock music and 90s alternative bands. At present, I like John Mayer a lot. In the Nepali music scene, I like Albatross, Rohit Shakya and Rohit John Chhetri as well.

What about fashion? Are trends important to you?

I think I do not have much of a fashion sense. I wear whatever I feel like wearing and often its stuff that I find comfortable. I hate shopping and do so only when I have functions to attend and know I will have to be event proper. In such cases, I often end up buying the most random stuff.

Do culinary adventures appeal to you?

I am a big foodie. I love trying out different cuisines but Newari food is my favourite. I also like experimenting when I’m cooking but I have never really cooked for others. I make meat dishes, chow chow and even roti when I’m in the mood, and although I’m the only one who ever eats them they often end up tasting great.

What is your biggest fear?

That I might get old too soon. I always feel like there is so much to do and so little time to do these things.

What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?

I think I’m good at being good (laughs). I have good communication skills and can interact with people well. These traits are my biggest strengths. On the other hand, I trust people easily and that is my biggest weakness. I can’t say no to people and have had to sacrifice on many things because of that. But I’m trying to change this habit of mine; sometimes, you just need to say no to people.

You’ve had a long career in radio as well so you probably have a lot of admirers.

Any memorable fan-related incident you’d like to share with us?

I’ve never met a crazy fan and since I don’t like interacting on the phone, I have always avoided such calls. But I’ve received a lot of letters and it is really interesting to read those. Once a fan sent me a really long letter; it included a chart paper display and had newspaper cuttings related to me pasted all over it. She had put in a lot of effort to make that…

Finally, your plans for the future?

I want to be more active in the film industry and my focus right now is on becoming a better actor. I want to be part of better quality films in the future and need to sharpen my own acting abilities for that. Hard work is huge on my agenda and I am trying to figure out if I should give theatre a shot as well. Outside films, I want to do something in the hotel and tourism sectors. I have a few plans in mind regarding that but they’ll probably take some time to execute. Sometimes I regret not having studied hotel management but I have learnt that experience counts a great deal as well. I love what I do and would love to continue doing so for as long as possible.