For Kunal Nayyar, playing Raj Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory “ruined” one of his favorite forms of self-expression.
The actor opened up about his character’s wardrobe on the Monday, August 11, episode of The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, revealing he was less than thrilled about Raj’s sense of style on the CBS sitcom.
“I love fashion, to be honest. It’s one of my favorite things,” Nayyar shared. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, my God, like, I’m gonna have to wear these clothes.’ It’s very apropos to the character, obviously. But for me, I was like — I mean, if you watch what I wore that entire show, it’s ridiculously hideous, but also ridiculously good for the character.”
Raj’s many patterned sweater vests and cargo pants eventually changed Nayyar’s outlook on fashion. “It’s ruined for me,” he quipped. “I can’t wear clothes that look like vintage Gucci sweaters or something that looks like Raj’s sweaters that’s in fashion now. I can’t wear that stuff. If God forbid cargo pants make a comeback, what am I going to do? I can’t wear khaki. I can’t wear this other stuff. I can’t do it.”
Despite his distaste for Raj’s clothes, Nayyar praised costume designer Mary T. Quigley for doing a “very good job” with all of the characters’ wardrobes. He also pointed out an Easter egg about when Raj’s style shifted on the show.
Sonia Flemming / ©CBS / courtesy Everett Collection
“If you go back and you realize, when we did the flashback episode and Raj is dressed like Miami Vice, he starts dressing like Leonard, is why he thinks that’s how you dress,” he said referring to the Season 3 episode titled “The Staircase Implementation,” which shows how Leonard (Johnny Galecki) first met Raj, Howard (Simon Helberg), and Sheldon (Jim Parsons). “And so he gets his fashion inspiration from Leonard, which is just sad.”
Raj’s layered looks on The Big Bang Theory did come with one perk. “It’s always freezing on the stage. People don’t realize that. But the studio was always freezing,” Nayyar shared on the podcast. “It was always cold. It’s a massive space to heat up, and L.A. gets chilly in the evenings, and the studios are always cold. So, I was fine. I mean, I never felt hot at all. I loved it.”
Nayyar played Raj on all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory, which ran on CBS from 2007 to 2019. The show’s first spinoff, Young Sheldon, ran for seven seasons on CBS from 2017 to 2024, while the follow-up show Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage premiered on CBS in October 2024.
The Big Bang Theory universe will soon expand with the new spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which will follow Kevin Sussman‘s Stuart as he is “tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon,” per the show’s official logline.
The Big Bang Theory cocreator Chuck Lorre has teased that other characters from the original series may pop up on the upcoming HBO Max series. “That is a closely guarded piece of information that, you know… I’ve taken a blood oath regarding,” he told TVLine last month. After the interviewer expressed their hope in seeing familiar faces back on the small screen, Lorre added, “You’re going to love this show.”