SUMEET VYAS THE PARENT TRAP

As he makes his debut as a director with SonyLiv's series, Raat Jawan Hai, we talk to the actor about modern movies, old-school friendships, new-age parenting, and the timeless...Peppa Pig!

- Ananya Ghosh

Actor Sumeet Vyas, who is a household name thanks to superhit shows like Permanent Roommates and TVF Tripling, has just dropped is debut directorial and it is a webseries—the format he has not only seen evolve in India but has been at the forefront of. Raat Jawan Hai, which dropped on Sony LIV on 11th October, is a clutter breaking series focusing on the lives of three besties as they embrace (and sometimes get choked by) parenthood. “I’ve previously written dialogues for films like Love Per Square Foot and worked on the screenplay and story for Tripling and Bang Baaja Baaraat. But the desire to direct has always been there, it’s just a big responsibility, with so much at stake. When Raat Jawaan Hai came to me, I was thrilled. It felt like a story I had recently lived, and I knew I could bring a lot of myself into it,” says Vyas, who is also a doting dad to a toddler in real life. But why choose such a title that has a distinct crime-thriller vibe? “As young parents, sleep is a rare luxury—you’re constantly waking up when the baby stirs or is unwell. That lack of sleep is one of the first big challenges every new parent faces. Raat Jawaan Hai reflects that experience!” guffaws Vyas. In fact, given the fact that the OTT space is today replete with blood and gore, it was a conscious decision to steer clear of horror, thriller, or crime drama. “You see it on every network, in the news, and even on the streets—there is already enough horror, terror, bombs, wars, and reminders of how bad people can be. I wanted to make a show that focuses on the opposite showing that goodness still exists. I'm not drawn to the darker side of people; it’s the goodness that excites me, which is why I chose to make this show,” says the newly-minted director. Excerpts from a freewheeling chat: