You’ve been part of the television industry for
almost nine years now. What is the turning point in your career?
> Yes, It's been nine years that I have been
the part of the industry and it's been a quite good journey. I must say that
the turning point of my career started from 2008 when I was doing Mahabharat
but actually the pick time came when I grab the role of Uttaran. Uttaran has
actually been very special to me because it was like not only a show for me but
it was a career making show for me because 2012 changed my whole life as I entered Uttaran as a
negative character and it just went, I never knew that I would be turning into
a positive role and then I would be playing the lead and I would become the
lead. 2016, Uttaran ended and I did Uttaran for two and a half years and that
was the show which was one of the longest running show as a lead and it's given
me a lot. In fact, I have been called to Indonesia because of Uttaran. So
Uttaran will be really close to my heart and will be my changing phase of that
life which came. Of course, I got married during those two and a half years.
A blast from the past- tell us how you got into
the television world?
> Talking about how I got into the Television,
it's very filmy because it's a saying that when your mother's dream becomes
your dream. So my mom always wishes that I be something of my own, I have my
own identity so that made me do something which I never thought I am able to
do. So 2004, 2005 and 2006 I was with my dad in our business and there was this
modelling competition I would say Mr India and Ms India which was made by
Maureen Wadia. So I filled up the form in 2006 and started preparing for
it. In 2007, I was selected amongst the
best 21 contestants. We were trained for a month and then I was there in the
top five. That's when I thought if I entered into something I should not only
give my 100% but more than that so I started doing a lot of fashion shows and
fashion weeks. So then I thought it's time to take the next step, so I started
taking acting workshop and 2008 was my first break in Kahani Humare Mahabharat
Ki and that's the way it happened and the whole journey began.
How did you feel facing the camera for the first
time?
> Yes this was very nervous because first time
ever when I faced the camera, I was for an audition for an ad. I never knew how
profile was given, I never knew how the introduction to be given, I never knew
how to act so basically I used to go and watch other model's ads and the
commercials and everything. Even when they used to give the auditions, I used
to try to act like them, copying them. I can say I used to try like just do it
the way you get selected. So very nervous because a lot of retakes I used to
give and I used to get very confused because never used to get any ad at that
time. So the first time was pretty nervous, people were watching me, the other
models very watching me. So the nervousness of people watching you was always
there in my head and that made me always conscious and nervous in front of the
camera.
What’s the one skill wish you have developed
earlier?
> The one skill wish which I always thought I
could have developed earlier was the kind of martial arts and the kind of
training Tiger Shroff done, though if I can just do it few 10 years back. I
know it's not too late I am trying to catch a hold of that martial arts. Soo
lets hope so the time I get not as good as Tiger Shroff but closer to him.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to your
character?
> The craziest thing I have done to my
character is in Nagarjuna. I only had one guy in my head and it was Heath
Ledger of The Dark Knight, how bad he can yet so keep you hooked up. So I had
the mind whenever I used to go on the camera, face the camera with Shankchurn's
outfit, I used to make sure that I look, the devil, I look evil and very sexy
devil which is very desirable. So the one thing which I really did was trying
to get that the devilish look instead of having that positive face and wearing
those lenses and putting that bliss and making it psychotic was one of the
craziest things I did with Nagarjuna's character.
Most of your characters have a flip side. First
antagonist and then turning into a protagonist. Is it a coincidence or you
chose it?
> Yes, most of my characters have a flip side
always. I don't know why it's been like always, I guess God has chosen it like
that. So whenever I entered a show I have always been negative and suddenly I
changed into positive. I don't know whether I should take it as a positive side
or a negative side. Either I play negative very good or I look positive. So I
guess it's a chosen destiny that may be when I turned into positive they had
made sure that I look the positive part and negative part also. So there have
always been two characters and I am lucky that my audience has accepted me as a
negative character and as a positive character in the same show. So I have been
the bady and I have been the good. I feel the connection level when I feel the
bad and the goody level.
What is your favourite genre of fiction? Any
particular space you’re looking for?
> The kind of fiction that I would want to do
is, of course, there are a lot of desires I want to do. I want to play a bad
guy, I want to play a superhero and lot of things which I have not done. A lot
of things came to me in a very unexpected way. I really don't know if I wish
sometimes and that comes true. I never imagined about Nagarjuna but it was a
blessing to me because it gave me a shade of negative as well as positive. So I
feel that the kind of space I am looking at, of course, a rough and tough role
more on the lines of Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgan. When it comes to stylish more
on the lines of Saif Ali Khan, the kind of roles he does. These are the few
roles I am looking at and the few projects come on television and I get a
chance do it. So sorely place I could look for my self right now.
How did you cope up with the very tough and
demanding schedule of television?
> Talking about how do I cope up with the very
tough and demanding schedule of television is that's the way our life is,
nothing comes easily and there are no free lunches in this world. So
entertainment industry is very difficult in this world. Nobody knows the story
behind the camera but only what people see they will see that only. So I feel
it's a challenge to face the situations in any kind of situations like if it's
come for me, I have done Nagarjuna for ten months, I had to be fit, look good,
six pack abs, that's what my character demands from me. So that was the
challenge to me to cope up with the demand of my character. So nothing is easy
in life I feel whether it's business, whether it's acting, it's only about how
an which level you want to take it. So I feel it's all upon the individual's
personality and choice that how do you want to go about it. Even life is not
that easy, everyone is facing some or the other problems and tough times, so if
it is not tough you won't enjoy it. So I am happy that it's not easy for me.
You were a
part of Indonesian shows too, so how are Indian stars perceived in
Indonesia?
> Oh! Talking about Indonesia and Indonesian
shows, I never knew this before the time I had come to Indonesia, it's really
huge. The shows are very popular in Indonesia and especially the shows which
are made in India are been telecasted in Indonesia, are been dubbed in the
Indonesian language which is Bahasa and the fan following of all the Indian
artist of which for the kinds of shows running here is huge. So Indian stars
really appreciate it and this is one country where Indian actors are loved
unconditionally whether it's audience, whether it's channel, whether it's
anybody. it's like I can definitely say that this kind of love one can see in
India for Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, etc. Experiencing that
kind of response from Indonesia is like a dream come true for an Indian
television actor. Finally, we can say that hard working is paying back in some
or other way. I feel that whether it's India or Indonesia if we actors are
appreciated for your love and you get so much immense love, I feel it's a
blessing and definitely, I thank the whole Indonesian country for watching our
shows and loving our work.
How was your first day shooting over there?
> The first day of shooting over here was very
very bizarre because I not used to understand the language of Indonesia, it's
called as Bahasa. Understanding the language was very very tough on the first
day so I used to had that In Ear in my ears so they used to say the words and I
used to pronounce it. Sometimes I used to pronounce the word wrong so they used
to make fun of me but everything in a good faith so people used to be entertained.
Whenever I used to come on the screen there used to be a lot of shouts and
yelling from the audience. So it was a quite experience for me because I have
never seen people cheering for me so much for anything back in India so it was
fun and it was a new learning experience and slowly and steadily I started
getting a few hooks speaking with Indonesian actors. Indonesian actors are very
very good.
How difficult was to act in a show, the language
of which doesn’t come naturally to you?
> Yes, when you try to do something out of the
box, learn a different language of different countries, it's always difficult.
So Bahasa is the one difficult language I feel. It's not easy to learn Bahasa
and not even difficult. So I had this acting in Bahasa is different, speaking
in Bahasa is different. Of course, we used to be given our content and
explained our content, so you need to be acted out. When we cannot speak the
language, we don't understand the language the best part was we start speaking
in Hindi so audience used to go Gaga over that because they love the Indian
language also. So that's the way it was difficult for me and it is still
difficult for me but I try to my driver, channel people over there who speak
English as well as Bahasa. It's a fun experience to be around here in
Indonesia.
How is to be constantly judged when you make an
appearance?
> Judging cannot be stopped, it will be always
there and always be all your life whether it's your own people, whether it's
your friends or it's your critics. I feel really lucky that my critics give me
so much time and talk about me so much. I feel that's the best part that they
have so much to talk about you, that means you are doing something good in your
life. Whenever I do something new, some how the way people have something in
their heads who are judging me, a few eyes rotating around for judging me but
that's ok. It's the part of life. Every person is been judged in his/her life
in every minute and in every second. So I guess you do your part, you do your
best, Let Your Actions Speak Louder than Words and let those actions shut other
people's mouth and eyes.
You’re an ace photographer too. So can you briefly
describe your photographic work and style for our readers?
> Talking about my photography, yes, I have not
become a photographer but photography is my passion and it all began with my
wedding because my wife gifted me a DSLR camera on my wedding night. So that
was my first passion provoked by my wife and I feel that it was the newly added
talent which was secreted in me. I never did any course of photography, it's
just me and my camera and my Model (my wife) who was there with me, keep
clicking her and start learning the whole thing. It's been 4 years now that I
have been doing photography and still I am learning. I can say that I am not a
photographer but I am a decent photographer and I can rate myself 5. With
photography, I am trying to learn to edit also because it is, of course,
important to be a good photographer but it is more important to be a good
editor.
