Meeting Dwight Schrute in India: Rainn Wilson on ‘The Office’ and his spiritual journey
The Hindu
In an exclusive interview, actor, author and podcaster Rainn Wilson talks to us about why he’s visiting India, what Dwight Schrute and ‘The Office’ will always mean to him, and his new podcast ‘Soul Boom’
“Dwight Schrute is in India!”
These were the words that resonated across The Office fan forums and social media groups last week when actor Rainn Wilson posted pictures and videos from Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh on Instagram, sending fans across the country (and indeed, Asia) into a frenzy.
There was no press, no announcement or no information on why Rainn was here. Was he vacationing? Shooting for a new film or show? Pretending to be just another regular tourist? (Identity theft is not a joke, Jim...)
Along with other actors like Steve Carell, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, Rainn was at the forefront of the the mockumentary sitcom that ran for nine seasons between 2005 and 2013 and became a worldwide phenomenon. The show’s popularity endures even a decade later, and characters like Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute (and their zingers) are the stuff of television folkore today; in a way, it was difficult for all the breakout stars to be recognised for their roles in other projects.
Still, Rainn has enjoyed experimenting with his career since then, starring in comedies such as Super (delivering a criminally-underrated performance) andWeird: The Al Yankovic Story, and being the voice of Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Movie Universe. Along the way, he’s also turned author and entrepreneur, while being involved in numerous causes such as empowering girl child education in developing countries and spreading climate change awareness.
In recent years, the 58-year-old has found meaning in spirituality which led to his bestseller Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution (he himself sees the comical side to the guy who played Dwight writing a book on the topic), and a spanking new podcast birthed from the same idea.... which is why he’s in India, perhaps?
I put all my journalistic prowess to the test, and just a couple of days later, I am wearing my trusty old Dunder Mifflin T-shirt, all set to get on a video call with our favourite Assistant (To The) Regional Manager.
South African naturalist Steve Boyes speaks on ghost elephants, ancestral tracking, and Werner Herzog’s documentary exploring Angola’s elusive highland giants
Actor-director Amol Palekar will receive META's Lifetime Achievement award for 2026 on March 25 in New Delhi.
India's artists unite against rising censorship, advocating for creative freedom and support for marginalized voices in the arts.
Written and directed by Kunal, the film also stars Sparsh Shrivastava and Vanshika Dhir
This year, Bharatnatyam artistes will present the Tyagaraja Aradhane as a dance performance
This year, Bharatnatyam artistes will present the Tyagaraja Aradhane as a dance performance
The actor, along with director Sushant Shah, speak about their upcoming series ‘Chiraiya’, Divya’s process of working on the dialect, Sushant’s approach to telling a story about women, and more
An independent video, ‘Feel the Spark’ by Raleigh Rajan with vocals by Ciera Dumas that celebrates Tamil literary giants, garnered 1.4 million views in less than 36 hours.
In ‘Jack Ryan: Ghost War’, John Krasinski is back as the savvy CIA analyst, diving headfirst into a high-stakes mission that unravels a deadly conspiracy and pits him against a rogue black-ops unit
Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s Shankarlal festival showcased rare ragas, radiant artistry, and inclusive performances, from Pt Madhup Mudgal’s serene morning ragas to Ramana Balachandran’s Saraswati veena.
Explore "Threads that Bind: The Kantha Project," an exhibition in Delhi reimagining kantha as a medium of repair and renewal.
Sean Penn skips the Oscars to meet Ukraine's Zelenskyy, who praises him as a "true friend" amid the war.
The teaser of Tamil star Suriya’s much-awaited film with director Venky Atluri, titled Vishwanath and Sons, was unveiled by the makers on Monday