Though Kumar was already a bona fide Internet star, he agrees that Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan brought him mainstream appeal, and in turn, gave a boost to Panchayat. "Earlier, 15 to 35-year-olds would watch my work. After Shubh Mangal, aunties, mothers and uncles knew me, and that helped more people watch Panchayat. Their constant reference point was: 'Woh Shubh Mangal wala ladka hai iss show mein'. On some days, I wake up to long texts from fans who explain how the character resonated with them." The actor informs that the second season is in the works. "The writers are working on it."

Having started out with TVF sketches in 2012, Kumar was gradually perceived as the quintessential boy-next-door as small-town stories became a sub-genre into themselves. Ask him if he fears that his middle-class-boy act will get repetitive, and he reasons, "Am I stereotyped? Probably, but Aman Tripathi of Shubh Mangal is nothing like Sacheev in Panchayat. Small-town stories are far too many and we have just started to explore them on screen. If we write fresh material, I don't think we will run out of ideas. I came from IIT Kharagpur to Mumbai to become an actor. I was confident that in a month, I will have movies, and in a year, I will be a star.

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

The reality was starkly different. Despite how long it took to reach here, I can say with complete faith that hard work and relentless effort are rewarded. My college friends still don't take me seriously as an actor, but I have a sense of contentment." In the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput's tragic demise, Kumar's is the much-needed story of an engineer from a small town who broke into Bollywood.

Of course, the chat will be incomplete without asking him about the chair. He laughs, "The Sarpanch buys himself a new chair to show the young city-bred boy who is the boss of the village!" That's a bet won, alright.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news