Kunal Nayyar reveals whether or not he was relieved when The Big Bang Theory ended. Playing Rajesh Koothrappali, one of the original characters of the sitcom, fans saw the actor grow up during the show’s 12-year-run. But almost three years since The Big Bang Theory wrapped up, Nayyar is reinventing himself, starting with his new role in the AppleTV project, Suspicion.
When The Big Bang Theory ended, it was a massive surprise for fans. The show was still extremely popular, and CBS was even vocal about wanting to renew it for at least another year. The decision to end it, however, stemmed from Jim Parsons’ decision to leave the show beyond season 12. He thought that it was time for the series to end after more than a decade. And so, while the rest of the cast was still willing to come back for more seasons, especially considering their generous pay packets, they decided that it was best to just cap it all off.
Now that enough time has passed since The Big Bang Theory went off the air, Raj was asked by Metro UK if he felt relieved when the series ended. The actor pointed out that it’s a complicated question; while it was difficult to see the whole experience end, he also enjoys the fact that now, he can do something else as an actor. Read his full answer below:
You know, it’s not so black and white, right? I can’t just say, ‘Oh, it was a relief to stop’ or ‘I miss it.’ Of course I miss it. I grew up on that show. I miss my cast and the writers and the whole family, and I can’t imagine a life without it.
But at the same time, as an actor, it is enjoyable now to take on other roles and challenge myself and see if I have what it takes.
It may have been several years since The Big Bang Theory ended, but it’s understandable if Nayyar still has conflicting feelings about the show ending. The actor had been a part of the show since it began in 2007 and remained a major character in it until it ended. As he said, he grew up on the series; that means that he also made a lot of great friends during his time working on it. But, consistently starring in the sitcom year after year limited what he could do outside of it. This was actually one of the reasons why Parsons wanted to leave; he wanted to try doing something else outside of the sitcom.
Nayyar’s former castmates echoed the same sentiments when asked about the end of The Big Bang Theory. So while most of the cast didn’t really want the show to wrap up when it did, somehow, Parsons did them a huge favor by taking that big step that allowed them to venture out as actors. Now, everyone is able to try different things. Luckily, the cast is also not opposed to a The Big Bang Theory reunion, but it won’t happen anytime soon.
Source: Metro UK
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