NDTV Exclusive: Tanuj Virwani On Impending Fatherhood: "The Most Unbelievable And Surreal Feeling"

Actor Tanuj Virwani and his wife Tanya Jacob are expecting their first child. The baby is due in September. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV's Hardika Gupta, the actor spoke about his initial reaction after learning about his wife's pregnancy. He also shared that he is "extremely excited" to embrace fatherhood. Tanuj said, "We are excited. Tanya is due towards the end of September. Ever since Tanya and I decided that we wanted to settle down and have this life together, having kids was definitely part of the conversation. It wasn't a matter of 'let's see what happens.' By November, I'll be 38, Tanya is 32 now and will turn 33 in October, so we felt it was the right time. Plus, we go way back and know each other well enough."

Tanuj shared that it was a "planned pregnancy" and added, "It was planned. We were trying, and I guess we just lucked out sooner than expected. When she did the home test and told me, 'I'm pregnant,' it was the most unbelievable, surreal feeling. We were both really over the moon. It was an emotional moment. We weren't in Bombay at the time, but when we got back, we told both my parents and then went to the gynecologist. When you get confirmation, go through ultrasounds, and hear everything, you think, 'Oh my god, this is actually happening.' It's been a beautiful few months, and I truly consider myself very fortunate."

When asked if he's nervous or excited about the new chapter, the Yodha actor said, "I'm not nervous at all-I'm super excited. Wherever we go, people ask about our baby, be it our friends or family. Everybody has their input, so after a point, we were like, 'Guys, chill.' There's a lot of thought about being prepared, but you also don't want to be overprepared; you want to enjoy the moment."

Discussing the preparations for the little one's arrival, the Inside Edge star said, "The only challenge is the race against time, as we are trying to get our home renovated to make it as baby-ready and baby-friendly as possible, including setting up the nursery. But we're really excited. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, we had a really cute baby shower at home. It was wonderful-it's not just about the delivery but also about the whole lead-up to that moment. These are the things that one must cherish in life. It's a very different feeling."

Reflecting on his parents' reaction to the news, Tanuj Virwani said, "They were over the moon and said, 'Oh my god, you guys are really moving so fast; we're just coming to terms with the fact that our son has gotten married, and now we are going to be grandparents.' They were quite taken aback at how quickly things were happening. My mum and dad are really, really happy. It's a very surreal time in our lives."

For the unversed, Tanuj Virwani and his longtime girlfriend Tanya Jacob got married on December 25.

On the professional front, Tanuj Virwani made his Bollywood debut with Luv U Soniyo in 2013. He has since appeared in films such as Purani Jeans, One Night Stand and Yodha. The actor has also appeared in several web series including Inside Edge, Poison, Code M, Illegal - Justice, Out of Order, The Tattoo Murders and Cartel.

His upcoming projects include Murshid, where he stars alongside Kay Kay Menon and a quirky film titled Johnny Jumper, directed by Mickey Virus director Saurabh Varma. This film also features Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kalra, Zakir Hussain and Zarina Wahab, and is expected to release in a few months. Additionally, Tanuj will appear in the Applause show DAU Mumbai (Domestic Anti-Terrorist Unit Mumbai), which stars Rahul Dev. He is also working on a rom-com tentatively titled Puppy Love, featuring Tridha Choudhary, Divya Agarwal, and Nikki Tamboli. Furthermore, he is filming the second season of Rana Naidu alongside Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh, and Surveen Chawla among others.