While most would jump at the opportunity of auditioning for a Karan Johar production, Viraj Ghelani dilly-dallied for a month. “I had faced so many rejections in my initial years that I was certain I’d be rejected by Dharma Productions too. But I eventually did [a screen test],” says the actor, who plays Bhumi Pednekar’s boyfriend Baldev Chaddha in Govinda Naam Mera.

Ghelani may be a YouTube content creator, but acting is a different ball game. Naturally, he was nervous before giving his first shot. He credits director Shashank Khaitan for addressing his fears, which enabled him to deliver a one-take shot. “Shashank explained to me that he is making a movie [that is] on a much bigger scale than my YouTube videos. So if he found anything lacking in my performance, he wouldn’t hesitate to ask for a retake. He patiently cleared my doubts and boosted my confidence.”