Too paunchy to play Shiva, claims Rajesh Kumar!

Any actor would jump at the opportunity of playing a divine being, but actor Rajesh Kumar had to battle a few inhibitions, when he was asked to portray Lord Shiva for a scene in Zee TV's light hearted drama Neeli Chhatri Wale. 

Apparently, the actor was worried about his paunch as the role of Lord Shiva has always been portrayed on television and films by handsome hunks with athletic physiques and one among them is the dashing Himanshu Soni from the same show!

Speaking about his brief stint as Shiva, he says, "I felt that playing Shiva doesn't fit well with my body type. I looked like double XL version of Shiva. And that was the biggest concern I had while playing this mythological character. There is a certain poise and aura even in Himanshu's portrayal of the God. But since my character is that of a commoner turning Lord, I had the liberty of portraying it my way." 

The special 'Bhagwandas Bana Shiv' episode will telecast on January 7!