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Kunal Nayyar, best known for playing the lovable and awkward Raj Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory, recently shared a funny behind-the-scenes secret that used to drive his co-stars up the wall. Turns out, Nayyar had a hard time keeping a straight face during filming, especially in the early years of the show, and his habit of breaking character by laughing mid-scene often caused delays.
In a recent episode of The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, Kunal Nayyar admitted that during the early seasons, he had a tough time holding it together, especially during funny scenes. “I was the worst at the beginning,” he said, laughing about how often he’d ruin takes by laughing either at his co-stars or even at his own jokes. “It really pissed everyone off, but I couldn’t help it,” he said with a grin.
One actor in particular made it nearly impossible for him to stay serious: Simon Helberg, who played Howard Wolowitz. Nayyar described Helberg as a comedic genius whose impeccable timing and delivery could make even the most ordinary lines hilarious. Nayyar recalled moments where even a simple phrase like “Friday works for me,” when said by Helberg, would leave him in fits of laughter.
Kunal joked that Simon didn’t even have to try that hard, his natural flair for comedy and the subtle way he added flair to normal lines made it almost impossible not to crack up. “How can you not laugh? Simon is a genius,” Nayyar said, clearly still in awe of his co-star’s talent.
Despite The Big Bang Theory being a cultural juggernaut, running for 12 seasons and becoming a fan favourite around the world, Nayyar also revealed that he rarely watches old episodes of the show. He’s not one to sit down and rewatch his own work, although he admits he occasionally has it on in the background. It’s more nostalgia than deep analysis for him.
So while fans still binge the series and quote the jokes, Kunal Nayyar is out there remembering how hard it was just to get through filming without laughing, and how that sometimes didn’t go over so well with his fellow castmates trying to stay in character.