Sanjeev Kohli has been a staple of Scottish TV screens since 2002, starring as beloved shopkeeper Navid in Still Game and, more recently, AJ in River City.
Now, following in the footsteps of his Still Game castmates, the Glaswegian actor is bringing his solo chat show, An Evening With Sanjeev Kohli, to Courier Country on Saturday, August 26.
Part interview, part audience Q&A, the show will give Still Game fans in Dundee and Arbroath the chance to ask their burning questions.
“It is one of those shows, people do obsess about it and they do want to know,” says Kohli, 51.
“They’ll ask what it’s like filming X scene or who’s your favourite character, things like that. It’s all questions I would be asking as well. It’s always a good night.”
In a recent long-form interview with The Courier, Kohli opened up on his journey to fame and his relationship with his Still Game character, Navid.
But to get him warmed up for tonight, we asked Kohli 18 burning questions of our own:
18 questions with ‘Navid from Still Game’
What would you have done if you hadn’t been an actor/writer?
There’s every chance I would’ve been a maths teacher.
Where in the world are you happiest?
With my family, we’re having a meal and we’re all laughing.
Favourite part of Scotland to explore?
Luskentyre Beach, it’s like heaven on Earth.
Last book you read?
A I’m in the middle of reading Spaceships over Glasgow by Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai. Last one I finished was Frankie Boyle’s book.
Music you listen to in the car?
It’s quite eclectic but I like a bit of Public Enemy.
Who inspires you?
Billy Connolly, Chris Morris, my parents.
Your house is on fire – what one item do you save?
My favourite glasses, my current Jeff Goldblums.
If you could rule for a day, what would be the first thing you would do?
I would commission a 63-finger Kit Kat and then eat it myself.
Favourite holiday destination?
I have never had a bad time in the south of France.
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Yes.
What was the first album you ever bought?
From Langley Park to Memphis by Prefab Sprout, and that’s way cooler than it should be, because I’m the youngest of three brothers, so I just listened to their collections!
‘Humans don’t belong in the water’
What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?
I don’t know where it came from, but it was: ‘Don’t worry what people think about you because they’re only worrying about themselves’.
I’m guilty of that, myself. I still struggle with it. It’s worse with social networking, where anyone can have a go at you!
You speak to any actor and you’ll hear this – you can get 100 million good reviews, and you’ll remember the one bad one.
What do you do to unwind?
Box set – Succession, it’s up there with the best TV ever made. It’s incredibly tense, so not exactly unwinding, but it’s what me and Fiona, my wife, do on a night.
What or who are you proudest of?
My children.
If you could turn back the clock what one thing would you change?
Oh blimey! I would’ve persisted with piano lessons. And learned to break dance.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?
I find it really hard to jump into water. I don’t know what that says about me psychologically, but we were on holiday a few years ago and I’m glad no one filmed it, because I must have looked pathetic, but I just can’t jump into water.
I did do it once, and I haven’t done it since. We don’t belong there, we don’t have fins or gills.
I hate rollercoasters as well, but to try and show my kids not to be scared, I went on with them, and none of us liked it! The headline here is I’m a s****bag.
Could you save someone’s life if they were dying in the street?
I did four months of medical school…so probably no. I only did the chest and the thorax. Theoretically, I could probably do CPR.
What’s your motto?
Treat other people the way you want to be treated yourself, that’s the golden rule. If people did that, the world would actually work!
An Evening With Sanjeev Kohli is at Dundee’s Ardler Complex on Saturday, August 26 at 6pm and at Arbroath’s Abbey Theatre later the same evening at 9pm. For more information and tickets, visit the Breakneck Comedy website.
