Kunal Nayyar details the sacrifices he had to make in order to continue appearing on The Big Bang Theory. The actor played Raj Koothrappali in the hit sitcom for 12 years until it wrapped up in 2019. Raj was one of the five original characters on The Big Bang Theory when it debuted in 2007, but the character wasn't initially part of the show's pilot.
At first, The Big Bang Theory season 1, episode 1 only featured Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). After getting some notes from its network CBS that The Big Bang Theory pilot needed to be reworked, the series brought in three additional characters in Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Howard (Simon Helberg), and Raj. The chemistry among the young actors was clear from the start. Eventually, the cast expanded in season 4 with Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), and fans continued to watch The Big Bang Theory in huge numbers, leading it to run for eight more years.
Now, it's almost three years since The Big Bang Theory ended, and Nayyar is opening up about the experience of starring in the show. When asked if the sitcom ended at the right time during his guest appearance on the UK's Channel 4 TV segment Sunday Brunch (via The Express), the actor said yes, and that the cast needed to "spend more time with [their] families." After appearing on The Big Bang Theory for more than a decade, he said, Nayyar and the rest of the cast had to miss a lot of quality time with their loved ones, which he admits is one of the downsides of doing a yearly show.
“I think it was time for all of us to move on and do other endeavours in our life. People don't realise the sacrifice it takes to do an entire season, you know, and for me living away from my family in India, I had missed a lot of births and deaths and anniversaries. It was time for me [and] for all of us to spend more time with our families.”
When The Big Bang Theory ended, it was still at the top of its game, which made its cancellation surprising. But it wasn't CBS' decision. Instead, Parsons' choice to exit the show after season 12 forced the network to wrap it up. While the rest of the Big Bang Theory cast were reportedly willing to come back beyond season 12, they couldn't move forward with an incomplete ensemble, especially since Parsons played arguably the main lead. The series was so popular that CBS was willing to continue paying a reported $1 million per episode salary for the core actors. But, as time goes by, it seems like those both in front of and behind the camera realized that it was the right time to cap off the project. Cuoco previously said that The Big Bang Theory ending was a blessing in disguise, since it allowed her to do The Flight Attendant. Helberg echoed her sentiments, and now it seems Nayyar was also very much on board.
Despite an uneven final season, The Big Bang Theory was able to come up with an emotionally satisfying ending. But while the show left his friends at the height of their lives, some fans can't help but feel disappointed with how Raj's story wrapped. After being engaged for the most part of its last year, he broke off the engagement and instead was left single once again. Nayyar previously defended this decision, but many fans argued that the sitcom could have done a better job handling the character's arc. Nonetheless, Nayyar gave an incredibly memorable and entertaining performance in The Big Bang Theory, and earned himself a spot in sitcom history.
Source: Sunday Brunch (via The Express)