WILL BARUN GET THIRD TIME LUCKY IN B-TOWN? TOI - Page 8

Almost eighteen months back he was a show-stopper. Albeit with a difference. TV heartthrob Barun Sobti created history when days after he announced his 'longish break' from 'Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon', his millions of fans forced the broadcasting channel to shut the show almost overnight!

Barun who had become a superstar thanks to his iconic character Arnav Singh Raizada, a Mills&Boonish hero, had Bollywood dreams like every TV bigwig. His debut film, Main Aur Mr Right, co-starring Shenaz Treasury was supposed to have hit the screens in 2013, but it found no takers and is in the process of being shelved unless a miracle happens. His second film,22 Yards, on which Barun had pinned a lot of hopes and had even toned up, flaunting abs and a stubbled look, going into detailing about the character he was playing is also complete, but reportedly is yet to find distributors.

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Barun had also reportedly been offered a weekend thriller show to be produced by Gul Khan (the producer of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon and Qubool Hai) for Star Plus and was among the contenders for Karan Singh Grover's replacement in Qubool Hai, although, he neither confirmed nor denied the news. The latest buzz about the actor is that he has been roped in to play the male lead in John Abraham's next production, Satrah Ko Shaadi Hai, directed by TV scriptwriter Arshad Sayeed, co-starring newbie Sapna Pabbi, (last seen as Anil Kapoor's daughter in the mini-series 24 that aired on Colors in 2013). The film's a love story that's being shot in Bhopal and has National School of Drama graduates in supporting roles.

Will Barun finally hit pay dirt and be able to make a splash in Bollywood like his peer Sushant Singh Rajput, or will he eat humble pie and return to TV like Ashish Choudhary, is the billion rupee question.