Abhinav Shukla steps into Babul Ka Aangan

Popular soap Babul Ka Aangan has a new entrant - the handsome Abhinav Shukla. He talked to us about his role and his life beyond work.

On his role…

I play Ratan, a young man of a royal lineage, who lives in Rajasthan with his grandfather. When Aastha and her family come down to perform a rare puja, he stoutly revolts against the puja. According to him, the puja is a bad omen and is the cause of his grandfather's problems. He is of the firm opinion that if the puja is conducted, the family will be in for more obstacles.

How Abhinav made it to Babul Ka…

It was 11 in the night when the production house called me and told me about the role. We had a quick meeting and the auditions followed the same night. I was selected soon after. I looked into my dates, did my own research on the popularity of the show and understood the nuances of my role before committing to the show. What clinched it for me was the fact that my role carries a lot of Indian tradition.

I will start off with a cameo in the serial but I am told that my role may be extended depending upon the popularity of my character and the storyline.

Preparation for the role…

I play a Rajasthani guy from a royal family and I have tried to do justice to the character. I have sought the help of a native Rajasthani to understand the culture better and to get my language right. I have built in a little arrogance to my mannerism in order to play up the royal family upbringing. My character is mysterious and I am working on bringing that out naturally.

Comfort level with his co-stars…

The cast is very lively. I have just started shooting for the show and I am already very comfortable with my co-actors. We have a lot of fun on the sets and there is a lively chatter going on most of the time.

Abhinav's mantra of time management….

My personal and professional lives are not very different. When I am on outdoor shoots, I get ample time for my hobbies such as traveling and driving. I enjoy every single moment of my life and am pretty good with time management. When I get time off, I enjoy Internet browsing, photography and reading. I also tune into television, mainly channels like Nat Geo, Discovery, Travel & Living and Animax.

Reality shows v/s soaps…

Both are scripted. They both have their own place and are a self-limiting process. Reality shows are all the rage of late. I would prefer a reality show over a daily soap.

Bollywood v/s small screen…

Both have their own audience. Both are fictitious and dramatic. But the fame Bollywood brings is definitely much bigger than the small screen. I would love to be a part of Bollywood.

What's next…

In the pipeline is a new show for COLORS called Jaane Kya Baat Huyi. I am also in talks for other shows but I can't comment before anything is concrete.