Introducing the name that stands tall for his comedy and incredible fashion sense – Deepak Kalra. He’s the mastermind behind electrifying stage performances, a versatile actor renowned for his appearances in numerous movies and web series, a charismatic anchor, and the hilarious genius behind ‘Kalesh with Kalra‘ that has us laughing our hearts out.
Today, let’s dive into an exciting journey into his world, where the chaos of creativity meets the charisma of a true entertainer. In his world, there are no boundaries or constraints; just an unwavering belief that when you follow your heart, success is sure to follow. His unstoppable spirit keeps us all inspired, believing in achieving more and embracing the fun along the way.
The Social Nation team had the privilege of chatting with him, and boy, did he spill the beans on his incredible journey. So, fasten your seatbelts, folks, because you’re about to embark on a thrilling rollercoaster ride with the one and only Deepak Kalra!
Deepak Kalra, let’s begin by discussing your background and early experiences. Can you share some details about your background, childhood, and life experiences?
Talking about my childhood, the first thing to note is that people could easily tell from my face that I was quite mischievous. My brother, who is nine years older than me, and I used to fight with him very often. I remember one time in anger he held me and threw me, which resulted in a chipped tooth right in the front. Interestingly, I never got it fixed because it added to the mischievous image. I also recall a very funny thing that happened in school; we had a gang named the ‘BK Boys,’ which stood for ‘Bootnike Boys.’ I’ve always been a backbencher, but to my surprise, I never actually got caught.
When did your interest in entertainment first develop?
This interest has been with me since childhood. Sometimes, I feel like I inherited it from my mom. If I’m at 100%, then my mom is at 1000%. She’s the real rockstar, and anyone who knows her would definitely agree. You’ll see her posting 15 reels in one day on her Instagram – “Pooja Kalra“, and here I am struggling to post just one.
Her followers often tell her, ‘Aunty, you haven’t posted anything today, Please post as we like to scroll through your reels before going to bed.’ Seeing that, I feel like she has a stronger fan following, and also leaves me wondering what is going on. So, I’ve definitely inherited this entertainment keeda from her.
You have been spotted acing both the digital world and Bollywood. Could you share one thing that you love about both of these worlds and one thing that you dislike?
I personally like everything. I really enjoy the work that I do, and I live my life on the basis that there are only two things in life: either you ‘rolo‘ (cry) or ‘yolo‘ (you only live once), and I consider myself in the ‘yolo’ category. While others may complain and cry about being rejected for roles, I want to tell them that this is the life or the industry they choose.
Nobody comes and tells you to be an actor; that’s a decision you make yourself. In acting, there’s no right or wrong way; the full path is dark, and you have to knock on every door to find the ray of light in this world of darkness. So, I have no complaints about this life. I find nothing wrong; everything is going great!
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What advice would you offer to someone who is just entering the world of entertainment, Deepak Kalra?
Enjoy! Enjoy the work you do! Please don’t consider your work as work; take it up as your passion. For me, my work is my love, and who can stop someone from loving their lover?
What is the concept or idea behind your YouTube channel ‘Kalesh with Kalra’?
‘Kalesh with Kalra‘ is basically my life, so whatever happens, I just record and post it there. I would also like to say that I’m not very consistent with this because as soon as I get a film project, I start paying attention to it. For instance, recently, now that I’ve started my clothing line – ‘3eleven‘, so now I’ve started paying my full attention to it and focusing on it. But again, guys, what I’m doing is not right, and I feel bad about it, but you should do it.
Tell me how your brand started and what are your plans for its future.
So basically, I wanted to launch a brand that revolved around me; I mean, I was the brand. Wherever I went, my clothes used to garner a lot of attention because my styling was truly exceptional. I don’t have any other bad habits; I just have a keen interest in clothes, watches, and shoes!
So, for this brand, I initially wanted to start with something exclusive, including jackets, jeans, co-ord sets, and much more. However, my brother advised me that we should launch a streetwear brand offering oversized clothes, something that’s in trend and accessible to everyone.
Finally, on June 11th, we brainstormed about all this, and on July 11th, I announced it on social media. On the 18th of July, the brand was officially launched. So, within just one month, we handled everything from A to Z, with my brother, Saurabh Kalra. We didn’t hire any external teams; it was just us, driven by our passion to build this brand.
Now, speaking about the logo, ’11’ represents my birthdate. Initially, we wanted ’11,’ but it was already registered. So, we came up with ‘3 Eleven.’ When we googled ‘3 Eleven,’ we discovered that it’s associated with angelic symbolism. Additionally, when you look at the logo, it actually resembles ‘beleven,’ which means living through experiences. Therefore, I firmly believe that when you approach something with the right mindset, it inevitably leads to success.
Deepak, we’ve seen you on stage, in movies, in web series, and on Instagram, and now we know about your brand. What else can we expect to see from you in the future?
I’m Kalesh, so nobody ever knows what more there is to experience. Sometimes, I do feel like opening a tapri and momo place (and they will be from Delhi, which will have proper masala and mayonnaise). So, you never know what I can do next. And that’s what I would tell everyone watching: do it, don’t think about others, do what your heart says.
As we come to the end of this special interview, it’s clear that in life, laughter is the best way to enjoy life. Deepak Karla, the master of comedy, has taught us that when you follow your passion and never give up, you can turn every moment into a big success. So, remember to add some humor to your life, and may your days be as joyful as his!
