TOI : I do MISS Pratyusha :Sid

Telly town's newest hunk and eligible bachelor,Siddharth Shukla is tall, dark and handsome and makes his female fans go weak in the knees. Siddharth who plays the role of the Suave and sophisticated Shiv in Balika Vadhu ' Kacchi Umar ke Pakke Rishte was in town recently and TOI got chatting with him. He shared his plans to take back "khakras, visit Law Garden" and "explore the city". Excerpts from an interview:

Is this your first trip to the city?
YES and I have plans to have the Gujarati thali for dinner. I love to travel and enjoyed exploring the city.

You have done shows like Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na, Ek Packet Umeed, Jaane Pehchaane Se Ye Ajnabbi, Love YouZindagi. But Balika Vadhu got you immense popularity. What do you think is working in your favour this time?
An amalgamation of the script, character and my acting skills seem to be working for me this time around. The show's reach is also amazingand I entered the show at a time when it had already a faithful fan following. The show has helped me improve as an actor.

How's your chemistry with the new Anandi (Toral Rasputra)?
Toral is a sweet girl. I can understand the pressure she is going through. I know how difficult it would be for her to get into Pratyusha's (Banerjee) (the actress who played Anandi earlier) shoes. I can understand her difficulties because when I came, Shashank (Vyas) and Pratyusha were already the popular couple on the show and I was the newcomer. Gradually people accepted me.

For the kind of romantic scenes you do on TV, do you feel off screen chemistry with your co-actor will make a difference in your performance?
We are actors and I don't think sharing off screen chemistry with your co-star is important at all. We are here because we can act in any situation. If I have an opponent in any show, it doesn't mean I will have to fight with him/her in real life. Personal equations between two actors don't depend on the script.

You shared an amazing on screen chemistry with Pratyusha. Do you miss her?
Of course. I do miss Pratyusha. Since we go to the same gym, we sometimes meet there.

There are talks that Shashank Vyas and Sriti Jha's track in the show will be given more importance in the show. Does that worry you?
Nothing like this has come to my notice. The Script writers of the show are brilliant and they weave the characters in the story perfectly well. They create space for everyone.

How does it feel to be tagged as the most romantic hero on TV?
It feels great to get such compliments. I don't know what is working in my favour, but I am happy I am being appreciated. The scenes are written in such a way that my character appears romantic.

They say the TV industry is dominated by Women, what is a good looking guy like you doing there?
I am wooing all the girls. Both genders have to work. As long as I am employed I am happy.

Like your counterparts, do you also plan to get into Bollywood?
I have plans to do Bollywood films. I am waiting for producers to approach me.

How do you handle all the female adulation?
As actors, we are here to be appreciated and the female adulation makes me feel happy. I can't ask for more.

Why are you still single?
With the kind of busy schedule I have, I am sure no one can afford to wait for me. After shooting for a daily soap, one hardly gets time to give attention to your partner. I am happy being single at the moment.