Saurabh Shukla is one of India’s most talented and loved actors, known for his roles in Satya, Jolly LLB, and Barfi. A National Award winner, he is admired for his natural acting and brilliant comic timing.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Saurabh Shukla talks about what acting really means, how he perfects his timing in comedy, and how he keeps his characters real and consistent across films.

He shares interesting stories about working with greats like Amrish Puri and Shekhar Kapur, his early struggles in the industry, moments of self-doubt, and the happiness of winning a National Award.

Saurabh Shukla also speaks about how Bollywood has changed over the years, why South Indian films are winning hearts, and how humour, language, and everyday life experiences help actors connect with their audience.

00:00 – Introduction

00:36 – Jolly LLB: Maintaining Character Continuity

02:29 – National Award: Reaction & Meaning

05:04 – Self-Doubt & Low Phase in Life

09:03 – Humour as a Defence Mechanism

14:28 – Sensitivity & Limits of Humour Today

17:28 – Working with Ranbir Kapoor on Barfi!

21:55 – Why I Didn’t Like Shakespeare

24:14 – Working with Shekhar Kapur on Bandit Queen

32:52 – Writing Satya & Making a Cult Film

47:08 – Why South Indian Films Connect More

49:28 – Working in Nayak & Lessons from Amrish Puri

54:50 – What It Really Means to Be an Actor

1:01:44 – Watching Content at 2x Speed

1:08:09 – The Challenge of “Lived” Experience

1:12:54 – Family Background & Early Influences

1:15:39 – How Language Has Evolved in Films

1:21:01 – Wearing the Director’s Hat

1:22:44 – Theatre vs Film vs OTT

1:26:15 – Closing