Indian comedy actor Kunal Nayyar in exclusive BA interview

Indian comedy actor Kunal Nayyar has opened up about his incredible life in an exclusive video interview for British Airways (BA) – and told how he left home at 18 to fly to America where his acting dreams became a reality.

The Big Bang Theory star is famed for making people laugh, but speaking to BA, he has revealed for the first time how he and his family were in tears on the phone after he landed the life-changing role of Raj in the hit US sit-com.

“My parents really inspired me to leave home,” he told BA. “I think they found it was very good for me to grow as a human being. And I wasn’t scared as much as I was excited, to be honest. I was 18 and I was going to a new country.

“On Big Bang Theory, it took six weeks for me to find out I had got that role. So they were present throughout those six weeks every day when I was calling them freaking out. I woke them up at 3:30 in the morning. Of course, the first thing your parents do when you call them in a different country is like ‘are you ok? Are you safe – why are you calling us at this time?’

“I was like ‘Ya, ya – I’m great’ and I am just weeping, just crying, because this meant so much to me to be this kid from New Delhi, India, who made it onto the big screen. And they really thought something was wrong because I’m crying. I told them I got the role and everyone was crying at the same time. It was very special.”

Frequent flyer Nayyar, who lives and works in Los Angeles, now regularly flies for work and believes air travel has changed the world for the better, giving people a chance to pursue their dreams and grow their businesses.

He told BA how he finds inspiration for characters while travelling: “I once met an elderly Indian gentleman on a plane who spoke in half-sentences. That was something I later used for Raj,” he revealed.

“Another time I was flying and the plane took off, the lights dimmed, and the elderly gentleman in front of me stood up and completely disrobed in the aisle. I don’t think anyone saw him but I thought it was hilarious. Every time I do that now. No, I don’t – I’m joking!”

Nayyar’s show Big Bang Theory is enjoyed by British Airways passengers on flights all over the world every day. It’s currently going into its tenth season. When it’s over Nayyar said he’d like to play Doctor Who in the iconic British sci-fi TV show.