Summary
- Nayyar went from obscurity to fame on The Big Bang Theory, struggled with the perils of fame.
- Chuck Lorre noticed Nayyar's erratic behavior, staged an intervention to offer guidance.
- Nayyar found fame overwhelming, struggled to navigate new world of celebrity and build a "cage."
With an eye-watering net worth estimated at about $45 million and a prime spot on one of the most successful TV shows in history, it's safe to say that Kunal Nayyar has reached the pinnacle of success as a TV actor. But before his breakthrough on The Big Bang Theory, Nayyar had scant experience with the limelight, with nothing more than a guest appearance on NCIS under his belt.
Suffice it to say, transitioning from complete obscurity to becoming one of the most recognizable TV stars in the world was a bit mind-numbing for Nayyar. It wasn’t long before he, like many Hollywood stars, started grappling with the perils of fame.
In this article, we’ll delve into Nayyar’s grueling struggles with fame during his early years on The Big Bang Theory, and how they ended up prompting an intervention from the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre.
Chuck Lorre Worried About Kunal Nayyar's Big Bang Theory Fame Before The Intervention
Portraying Rajesh Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory was undeniably monumental for Kunal Nayyar. Not only did starring in the iconic show inflate his net worth to a staggering $45 million, but it also catapulted him into near-instantaneous celebrity status, solidifying his place as one of the most bankable TV stars in Hollywood.
While Nayyar may have comfortably settled into his TV star status today, there was a time when all the glitz was a bit too much for the British-born actor.
“I was saying things which were just ridiculous and behaving in a way that was not really me. I was just a kid and way out of my depth,” Nayyar revealed in his interview for ‘The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series’.
“I remember feeling very uncomfortable in my own skin. I was so insecure that I was trying to pretend I was cool or something. Pretend that I belong. It just wasn’t true to my nature and I think that probably worried them.”
By the time the show’s first season wrapped, Nayyar’s behavior had become so erratic, it’d piqued the attention of TBBT executive producer and creator Chuck Lorre. In his interview for ‘The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,’ Lorre revealed the precise moment he noticed Nayyar getting a tad too wrapped up in his fame.
“I got the impression on a couple of outings where we had dinner with the cast and everyone noticed that success/fame was messing with Kunal. I remember him saying during that dinner in San Diego that he could go to India during the hiatus and do movies and make millions of dollars. It just seemed inappropriate.”
Chuck Lorre Had To Stage An Intervention For Kunal Nayyar
Concerned that one of the show's key cast members might be falling prey to the perils of fame, creator Chuck Lorre invited KUnal Nayyar to his office. There, he and TBBT co-creator Bill Prady proceeded to give the British-born actor some much-needed counsel.
“He just needed to be told, Slow down, calm down. There was no question about whether he was going to be on the show. That was never the point of the meeting. The point of the meeting was to say, Breathe, slow down, don’t make any big decisions right now. And to remind him that the ensemble was everything.”
While recounting the intervention of sorts in his interview for ‘The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,’ Nayyar admitted that he left the meeting with a bit of a bruised ego.
“I really was grateful for that. And I never forgot it. But, to be honest, my ego was bruised, too," he said.
"I thought, ‘What do these people think of me? That I’m just this crazy party boy doing all these things and misbehaving? And I’m not like that; I’m a professional, I show up on time.’ It took me a while to truly understand the message of that meeting, which was, We’re here for you.”
Why Kunal Nayyar Had Such A Tough Time Adjusting To His Big Bang Theory Fame
Though concerning, it's hardly surprising that Kunal Nayyar struggled to adjust to his Big Bang Theory fame. After all, the British-born actor had very little experience with fame before clinching a spot on the show.
With the show’s soaring popularity, came intense fascination from fans and industry insiders alike—a development that proved to be a bit too overwhelming for Nayyar.
In his interview for ‘The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series,’ Nayyar admitted to being completely unsettled by how differently people treated him once he became famous.
“The anxiety for me was how to navigate this new world where everywhere I turned, someone wanted something from me. And for the first time in my life, I had to build a cage around myself. And in that cage, I was going nuts. I was having panic attacks while driving on the highway. All my worst fears of claustrophobia and heights sort of rose to the surface.”
What’s more, Nayyar was almost abruptly forced to start curating his interactions with people—a task that proved quite daunting.
“I had to be careful about the people I was allowing into my life, and it was difficult for me. My naivete dissipated quickly. It was hard to not be able to say hi to everyone, to hug everyone, hang out with everyone. You have to find your balance. The more comfortable I became with fame and accepting of it, and understanding of it, the more those anxieties calmed themselves.”
