Viraj Juneja talks Original Play, Career & More

Viraj Juneja makes a stunning debut as a playwright with Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow.

An immersive and comedic experience for the audience, the production promises to break boundaries and leave viewers thoughtful and reflective.

In the show, an uncle and nephew DJ duo attempt to make it big globally. 

Viraj Juneja has written the play and he also stars as Jay.

Ameet Chana of EastEnders and Bend It Like Beckham fame, directs the show.

Rifco Theatre brought this production to life. The theatre company was started by Pravesh Kumar MBE.

In our exclusive chat, Viraj Juneja shed some light on Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow.

Read on as he discusses the experience as well as some insights into his career.

Can you tell us a bit about the show? What is the story?

Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow is a lovely uncle and nephew DJ comedy bromance.

They are Southall’s 19th best Asian wedding DJs because as you know, there are probably hundreds and hundreds of Asian DJs from Southall.

There’s a really funny line in the play where Uncle Pali says:

“If you think there are too many actors in LA, you should see the number of DJs in Southall.”

Because anyone can be a DJ now. You have Instagram and people who are listening in a hospital or a bank.

They come down, mix two songs on their laptops, and put ‘DJ’ in their names. 

It’s a really tough market to crack so being the 19th best in Southall is quite a big deal.

At the same time, things do go wrong and like any bromance, there is a bit of a fall-out.

But it’s a rollercoaster of a journey. You’ve got some comedy and some fun.

Can you describe the character of Jay? What attracted you to the role?

It’s interesting because I’ve written a few things now – online, sketches, short films that I always perform.

They are just things that I want to do. I think the landscape of theatre is not always the best representation, especially for South Asians.

I think there is a lot of racism, division, partition, domestic violence, and abuse and all these things.

But we never get to really have fun onstage. I can’t remember the last time I saw a comedy onstage or I got an audition for a theatre show when I thought: “I’d love to do this!”

So I had this idea and it is loosely based on my real-life experiences of DJ-ing with my uncle.

A funny thing happened when I had the intention of making a TV show or a film and then I was lucky enough to meet Pravesh Kumar and the team at Rifco.

They were interested in developing this theatre project and we managed to create a unique experience. 

It is honestly nothing like you’ve ever seen before or read before as an actor.

It’s about South Asians just being themselves and not having to be stereotypical and apologise for who they are.

As you are starring in a play that you’ve also written, do you face any additional pressure or feelings when you step out onto the stage or is it the same?

I think there’s more pressure on the other actors to get their lines right!

It was nice because it’s the first time I’ve ever written a play so I got influenced by Pravesh and Ameet to delve deeper than just having a comedy show.

You have to reflect and go into things that have happened in my life or things that I connect with.

Jay talks about his grandmother being his biggest fan. Things like this are quite relevant in my life.

Naturally onstage, when you talk about them, emotions and feelings come up because they are lived experiences.

What has it been like to collaborate with Ameet Chana?

He was very cool because he was also helping in the workshops and the development of the play.

Because he is a DJ himself, he has been through the process of rodeoing and being out at gigs until 4 or 5 am. 

He knows these things which is what I have lived as well. So, he was really cool in understanding that world and bringing it to life.

It was a real privilege to get to work with him.

What inspired you to get into theatre?

To be honest, it was the only opportunity going. I didn’t really want to do this for theatre.

I got to work with Pravesh on his directorial debut, Little English. It is now available to stream on ITVX but you can also rent it on Amazon or YouTube.

I had this idea on my laptop and I have been developing this for the past three years.

When I got to meet Pravesh, he ran the Rifco Theatre Company. I was able to harass him a little bit. He was really cool and really liked it as a theatre piece.

He and Ameet mentioned the word “immersive” and suddenly I thought that that would be really cool.

It’s not your typical theatre show where the audience comes and sits down for two-and-a-half hours and pays £7 for one scoop of ice cream at the interval.

This is a brand-new experience where we have a fully functioning bar that is open during the show.

You can literally get up while the play is going on and get yourself a drink and enjoy the world.

You’re there to be guests at a wedding and actively participate in the show.

It’s not a theatre show – it is a spectacle and I feel sorry for the people who don’t get to see it.

What importance do you think DJs and roadshows hold in the Desi community today?

I think it’s funny because perhaps the stereotype from 30 years ago was that everyone is a doctor or a lawyer.

Now, the stereotype is that everyone is a DJ!

Everyone knows a DJ and they’ve all been to weddings and that is something that is so uniquely ingrained in our culture.

It’s such a big event and yet we have no representation when it comes to that.

So this is really tapping into a world that we are all familiar with and it has not been fully explored yet.

What advice would you give to budding actors or other creative people who want to enter the industry?

I think it starts a step before that. Before you’re a singer, actor, writer, or any other creative, you’re firstly a human being.

It just goes back to the sort of human being you want to be. What are your morals and hobbies? What do you stand for and what are your opinions about the world?

I remember being in drama school and the teacher said: “Have an opinion about the world.”

I didn’t understand what she meant at the time but as things went by, I got it.

Because if you see things the same as everyone else, you’re not offering a unique perspective on the world. 

I think everyone has got a really interesting thing about them so don’t shy away from that.

Whatever makes you you, embrace it because that will be your biggest selling point. 

If you’re an actor, don’t just watch theatre, TV, and films, go to art exhibitions and concerts.

That is all art because at the end of the day, that builds your profile. Know what you like and dislike and get to know yourself.

How can you play another person if you don’t fully know who you are?

Don’t be put off by not wanting to be bad at something. Go through that process and then you will build yourself up.

Which actors have inspired you in your journey?

When I was in high school, I loved Jonah Hill. He was in Superbad (2007).

He was doing a lot of comedic films but he also showed a side to him where he could be a lot more composed and serious.

Superbad is the greatest of all time and then he jumps onto The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and transforms into Donnie Azoff. 

That was such a cool part because he obviously knows what he is good at and yet he’s not stuck at that.

He has gone and tried something new and he has proven himself in that regard.

Even though I love comedy, there is a part of me that wants to go and prove myself on the more serious side.

I think I’m doing that because if you watch Little English, I reign it in and I’m really proud of that.

I’m just excited to get more opportunities for all types of projects.

What do you hope the audience will take away from the show?

I hope that they will just realise that things are changing.

I hope they take away a desire to see more of just current topics where they can laugh, have fun, and enjoy themselves.

They should yearn for more experiences where they have a smile on their face or tears in their eyes.

I just think this show is such a beautiful story and it has themes that we rarely see.

I do ultimately hope that they want to see more of Pali and Jay and expand this world into the screen.

Fingers crossed, that will happen. 

Pali & Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow promises to be an experience of comedy, emotion, and thought-provoking realities. 

This interview with Viraj Juneja shows the passion of everyone involved in making this spellbinding production.

Viraj’s advice to know oneself and to broaden horizons will undoubtedly inspire millions.

As the show gears up for its UK tour, the audience can look forward to Viraj Juneja as Jay delighting them and leaving an indelible mark on their hearts.

The show starts its UK tour on September 19 at New Wolsey, Ipswich.

More dates are scheduled at Warwick, Bolton, and High Wycombe.

Get ready for an unforgettable experience brought to you by Rifco Theatre Company!