We caught up with Pulkit Samrat, who believes technology should empower people, not replace them.
There are actors who follow a plan, and then there are actors who follow instinct. Pulkit Samrat belongs firmly in the latter category. Long before social media became a launchpad for careers, he was a Delhi boy who packed his bags and moved to Mumbai with little more than belief and ambition. Television gave him his first big break. Films gave him a larger canvas. And over the years, he has quietly built a career defined not by safe choices, but by constant reinvention.
That spirit of embracing change made him the perfect choice for the very first digital cover of EX NEXT, Exhibit Magazine’s new platform dedicated to people shaping what’s next in culture, technology, entertainment, and beyond.
When I sat down with Pulkit during our cover shoot, the conversation moved effortlessly between personal milestones and professional challenges. We spoke about marriage, the gruelling preparation behind his upcoming boxing drama Glory, the opportunities and dangers of AI, his evolving relationship with social media, and why an electric scooter might be one of the smartest additions to a Mumbai garage.
What emerged was a portrait of someone who remains deeply curious about the future while staying firmly grounded in the values that brought him here.
Sohil Nikam: As the first-ever cover star of ex:NEXT, what does “What’s Next” mean to you right now?
Pulkit Samrat: I’m really enjoying my married life right now. Over the last few years, I’ve been so caught up with work that I haven’t had enough time to spend with Kriti (his wife, actress Kriti Kharbanda). So if there’s one chapter I’m genuinely looking forward to, it’s being able to focus more on that part of my life. Work will always continue, but I want to create more time for the people who matter most.
SN: Your journey has been fascinating; from being a typical Delhi boy who landed in Mumbai, to finding success in television, and then making a successful transition into films. What gave you the confidence to make those big decisions?
PS: It’s always been my mother. She’s the one who believed in me from the very beginning. She’s the one who pushed me, gave me discipline, taught me the importance of hard work, and encouraged me to keep going even when things seemed difficult.
Honestly, the credit goes entirely to her. Because she was always there, the hard days became easier to handle. The bigger goals never felt impossible. They felt achievable because I knew I had somebody standing behind me, believing in me every step of the way.
SN: Glory on Netflix is a dark, gritty murder mystery. But with you and Divyenndu on set, I’m guessing there must have been some fun moments behind the scenes as well?
PS: Surprisingly, it was actually a very enjoyable set.
The show itself is dark, raw and intense, but everybody was extremely focused on making that world believable. Every department was committed to ensuring that the audience felt immersed in the story.
So while we didn’t have a lot of time to fool around during shoots, we definitely made up for it after pack-up. A lot of our bonding happened over food. Divyenndu is from Delhi and I’m from Delhi, so we instantly connected over that. We used to talk endlessly about Punjabi food.
We were shooting in Patiala, and the food there is phenomenal. There’s a place called Kohli Dhaba where we’d regularly order from. Their Rara Mutton was incredible, the mutton pulao was fantastic, and even their simple dal was unforgettable. Food became our common language on that set.
SN: Playing a boxer isn’t easy. What was the physical and mental transformation like while preparing for Glory?
PS: The journey is actually still ongoing. Before Glory, I knew very little about boxing. I’d never boxed seriously before and hadn’t even watched a lot of boxing. But I’d always wanted to play a boxer on screen.
The moment I got the opportunity, I started training. And very quickly, I realised that boxing is a completely different game.
You can build muscle. You can build a great physique. But boxing demands a level of endurance, stamina, mental strength and willpower that’s on another level altogether.
So my focus shifted towards becoming more athletic rather than simply looking athletic.
I worked extensively on my stamina, endurance, lactic threshold and injury prevention. The last thing I wanted was to get injured and lose valuable shooting days.
The training became extremely structured. I’d wake up around 4:30 in the morning and start with cardio. Then I’d head for boxing training and spend a couple of hours working on boxing drills and technique.
After that, I’d recover, take an ice bath, get a short nap, and then move into strength training. Later in the day, my physiotherapist would put me through reaction drills, speed drills and injury-prevention exercises.
SN: Rocky or Raging Bull?
PS: Raging Bull.
I love Rocky. I’ve watched it countless times, and like everyone else, I’m a huge fan.
But as soon as I locked Glory, one of the first films I revisited was Raging Bull.
There’s something about that film that goes beyond boxing. It explores relationships, insecurities, internal conflicts and emotional complexities in a very powerful way.
It has a different soul altogether.
SN: AI is everywhere right now. Are you excited about it or concerned by it?
PS: I’m actually very excited by it. I’ve always been interested in technology, and I’ve always enjoyed seeing how innovation changes the way we live and work.
A lot of people are scared of AI, but every major technological leap has been met with fear initially. The same happened when the internet arrived.
I think we’re simply witnessing another major transition. The important thing is to use AI as a tool rather than expecting it to do everything for you. At the end of the day, if you don’t know how to communicate clearly with AI, you’re not going to get meaningful results.
You need to think clearly. You need to give precise prompts. What excites me most is the creative potential. AI can help creators produce visuals and ideas that may have previously been impossible because of budget limitations.
At the same time, I don’t think companies should use AI as an excuse to replace people overnight. A better approach would be to train people. Teach them how to use these tools. Help them adapt. If leadership teams invest in educating their workforce, then AI can become something that empowers people rather than threatens them.
SN: Has your relationship with social media changed over the last five years?
PS: Completely.
Five years ago, social media felt far more personal. I’d post something because I liked it. A photograph, a thought, a moment. Today, social media has become one of the biggest discovery platforms in the world.
For many aspiring actors, creators and artists, Instagram has essentially become their portfolio. It’s where people discover your work, understand your personality and connect with what you’re doing.
That’s a huge shift.
Of course, there will always be negativity online. There will always be people who criticise you. But there are also people who genuinely support and appreciate your work.
I’ve learned to focus on the latter. I have a very simple filter now: good emoticons are visible, bad emoticons are invisible.
SN: About TVS Orbiter. Having something like this in your garage, where do you see yourself going every day?
PS: From my house to Mehboob Studio.
From my house to my friend’s house and back to my house. From my house to Bandstand for paddle and pickle.
I can just plop my bag in the ample 34L boot space, put my phone to charge in the easy access box, conveniently make my partner the pillion and just leave. No worrying about space for my things and my partner. The under seat storage can even keep my pickleball kit.
SN: If there’s one destination within Mumbai – where the paps won’t hound you – where you’d want to travel on your TVS Orbiter?
PS: I would ride towards Igatpuri. We’ve got a piece of land over there where the roads are rough and we just go camping near a waterfall. Something like TVS Orbiter will be a very good companion with its 14-inch front alloy wheel and best-in-class ergonomics to provide me a comfortable ride.