Actor who worked with Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, questions Bollywood’s PR culture: ‘Why would anyone talk about my bathroom tiles?’

Saurabh Shukla is one such actor whose remarkable ability to play a wide range of characters has kept audiences hooked. From slipping into the shoes of a sharp, non-nonsense cop in Ranbir Kapoor's Barfi! to flawlessly essaying the character of the witty and formidable Justice Sunderlal Tripathy in Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi's hit comedy-drama franchise Jolly LLB, the 63-year-old has proven his mettle in bringing depth and authenticity to every role he takes on. And he leaves an imprint in the hearts of cinema buffs, without a PR, as confirmed by Shukla himself.

Saurabh Shukla gets candid on PR

Saurabh Shukla recently sat for an interview with Hindustan Times, where he shares his two cents about the rising dependence on PR in Bollywood. Although Shukla did not downright deny the importance of PR in strategy, he discouraged its use for image-building.




Saurabh Shukla revealed that so far in his career, he has always worked without PR and never had a personal publicity team. In a humorous yet witty remark, the actor added that the masses are not talking about the tiles in his bathroom floor, underlining the unnecessary personal hype and the limited value of publicity when it is detached from meaningful work.

With that being said, Saurabh Shukla admitted that PR is important for implementing a strategic approach, helping celebrities to bring their work to people’s attention and informing audiences about upcoming projects. However, the actor emphasised that PR cannot replace the work itself, as one cannot build a career solely on hype. Reason? For the audience, publicity is temporary, but what a star delivers on the screen is permanent.

Saurabh Shukla’s thoughts on fame

Saurabh Shukla further shared that while he enjoys driving and has a taste for expensive cars, he consciously chooses not to flaunt that side of his life to the public. He expressed his desire to be recognised for his work and talent rather than for his lifestyle. For Shukla, equating material possessions with success is misguided, and believing such things define a person can lead to a distorted sense of self.

Reflecting on his career, Saurabh Shukla confessed that he never had a personal PR team and instead focused his attention on a project-to-project basis. Despite that, he noted that fans still recognise him and connect with his films, which he believes is how things should be.

Workwise, Saurabh Shukla’s latest directorial Jab Khuli Kitaab is currently streaming on Zee5. The film, starring Dimple Kapadia and Pankaj Kapur, weaves humour with heartache, offering a sensitive and complex portrayal of late-life love and the courage it takes to start over. Aparshakti Khurrana is also a part of the movie.