After the break

You are playing the main lead in Dhadkan, which is a medical drama. Can you throw some light on your role?

In Dhadkan, I play a surgeon and I am supposed to be one of the best surgeons around. My characteris from a small town. He has joined a big hospital in Mumbai, where he is heading the emergency department.

After how long will you be returning to television?

It has been two years. Two months before Covid started, my show Dil Toh Happy Hai Ji ended. So, the lockdown was a break time for me. In fact, I signed up for one web show, but I don’t think I will be able to do that because of Dhadkan.

Fans say you resemble Hrithik Roshan, especially because of your eyes. Any comment?

Yes, a lot of people have told me that. When I was new to the industry, this would happen more often because people haven’t seen my work. In Jodha Akbar I did Hrithik’s body double in a scene. He is a super-cool person and very successful. It’s a compliment to be compared to Hrithik.

Do you think looks are important for being cast ina role?

Of course, whatever the character is the director or producer or makers first see the look. It is not necessary that you have to be good-looking. It’s just that your look should match the role.

You are a fitness freak, but now seem to have lost a lot of weight. Why so?

When I did Porus, I gained around six-seven kgs because I had to look a little muscular and heavy for the role. But right now, there is nothing like that. The tendency of my body is to lose weight if I don’t work-out. Due to the lockdown, working out was very difficult so I lost around four-five kgs.

If not an actor, what would you have been and why?

If I wasn’t an actor, I think I would’ve tried singing because I love singing.

Did you learn anything new during the lockdown break?

During the lockdown, I got so much time that I started reading books. Paid a little more attention towards singing;had to do something if I couldn’t act.

What are the two changes you’ve noticed in the entertainment industry?

The first thing is that there is a lot of work and new avenues have opened up. Secondly, after the pandemic the budgets have gone down. Other than that, I don’t think there is much change.