Exclusive - Special Ops' Karan Tacker says not opposed to working long hours: 'I've never really had qualms about it'

He waited, faced rejection — and eventually found his place on OTT with shows like Special Ops, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, to name a few. Today, he’s not just part of the streaming revolution but also walked the Cannes red carpet with his film Tanvi - The Great.

Excerpts from the exclusive conversation:

Ques: You were from TV and there you had long hours, what is your say? Was that the reason to shift from TV?

Karan Tacker: I've never really had a problem with working hours because I believe that, you know, if my director is standing on set in the same number of hours, and he's putting in that effort, if my producer is standing on set for those number of hours. And we all know that there is a meter that is running as an actor, you only have to be empathetic and responsible for a product that you are leading. If I'm the leading man for project, if required at the 18th hour also, I know that this is to get a set going, or there are actors, other actors' dates that need to be matched, or for whatever reason. I feel if the intention of working long hours is in the right place, I'm an absolute team player and I'm the happiest to be at the forefront of that and be a part of the vision of the entire team. So I've never really had qualms about it."

Would we all like to work for short hours? Of course, who would not? If you ask 9-5 wala and they are told that you will get the same salary but work only 6 hours who say no? I don't know from what front Deepika Padukone is coming and she is a senior actor so I can't comment in the same light as her but I can say from where I look at it."

Ques: Let’s talk about your big OTT break—Special Ops. You’ve said it wasn’t easy getting here. What was that phase like?

Karan Tacker: Honestly, the transition wasn’t easy. There was a period when I deliberately stepped away from television. At that time, there weren’t many new actors being launched in films, and OTT wasn’t big yet. But I knew I had reached a saturation point on TV—creatively, I had juiced out everything I could. It was a long wait. I tested for a lot of parts, let go of projects that didn’t excite me, and sat through a pretty big hiatus. But I made up my mind that the next thing I do has to be something I’d be proud of—something that would make me love watching myself. Special Ops was that moment. It gave me a different footing in the industry.

Ques: How was it to get back on the sets of Special Ops 2? 

Karan Tacker: I was waiting for Special Ops 2 to happen and I was really thrilled and when I got to know that we are finally going on floors. And for me getting into the character is not that hard especially once you have done a character then it is somewhere sticks into your memory. You just jump into it. I remember my first day when I was going to shoot I actually froze. I remember Neeraj sir on the mic saying 'haan haan jaanta hoon last Khakee kiya hai na bahut time se Special Ops ka character nahi kiya hai. So it does happen you take a second to get into a different world. I think once I did it, it then just flowed.

Ques: Was being a known face on TV ever a disadvantage in your OTT/film auditions? Did people perceive you as overexposed?

Karan Tacker: Oh, 100 percent. Popularity becomes a strange double-edged sword. People used to say, "You’re too well-known from TV" or "You're overexposed." And now the criticism is, “You're too polished,” “You sound too articulate.” It’s almost like you’re always “too” something. I remember once, during an audition, a casting director was more interested in the belt I was wearing than my performance. That was a wake-up call. It’s tough because people put you in boxes. But over time, I’ve just learned to shut out the noise and keep going.

Ques: Your performance in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter was widely appreciated. How different was it from playing RAW agent Farooq Ali in Special Ops?

Karan Tacker: Hugely different. These two characters have nothing in common. As actors, we don’t look at the job title of a character—whether he’s an SP or a RAW agent. What matters is the truth of the person. In Special Ops, Farooq is stoic, strategic, and always composed. Whereas Khakee's SP Amit Lodha is emotionally charged, intense, and very human. I rely on the world the script creates, and then I build my own nuances to highlight different aspects of the character.

Ques: You recently made your Cannes debut with Tundi the Great. What was that like?

Karan Tacker: Incredible. I’ve always associated Cannes with cinema—not just glamour. I’ve had offers before to go as part of a brand, but I wanted my first time to be with a film. So, walking the red carpet for Tanvi—The Great and representing the film and India felt very fulfilling. I play Captain Samar Gill—it’s a beautiful, sensitive story. To watch it screened internationally for an audience that knows nothing about you—that’s a high.

Ques: Audiences today are torn between theaters and OTT. Where do you stand as a performer?

Karan Tacker: I’ve never cared much about the medium. I come from TV, the small screen. For me, storytelling is the priority—whether it’s a 30-second ad or a full-length feature.

Would I love to be part of a theatrical film? Of course. But not just because it releases in a theater. I want to be part of sharp, powerful narratives—be it 120 minutes or an eight-episode OTT series.

Ques: Some people argue that theatre-going has become too expensive for families. Do you think that’s a deterrent?

Karan Tacker: Maybe to an extent, but I think the bigger reason is habit. During COVID, we got so used to waiting three months to watch a film at home. That mindset stuck. That said, even when I was younger and broke, we used to go watch films in the theater—we’d skip the popcorn or the soda, but we’d watch the movie. So I believe if the content is strong enough, people will come back to theaters. You just need to give them a reason.

Ques: You’ve worked with Neeraj Pandey. What’s that equation like now?

Karan Tacker: Neeraj sir has been an incredible mentor. He is like Dronacharya to me. This is my third collaboration with him—Special Ops, Khakee, and now the second part of Special Ops. I’m a silent learner, and I observe him closely. He’s sharp, disciplined, and backs me even when it’s not the popular choice. As someone who came from television, that kind of support has meant the world to me. I don’t take it lightly. I just want to keep earning that trust with every performance.

Karan Tacker,  who has taken the long road from being a television heartthrob to an OTT lead, says he’s done it on his terms—one audition, one character, and one honest performance at a time.

Karan will be seen in Special Ops 2, streaming on Jio Hotstar from July 11.