rajeev is going Gr8 guns- new article

He has made hearts beat faster and set the small screen on fire.

Always a man of few words and armed with a killer smile that saved dialogue writers a lot of hard work, his on-screen chemistry with his co-star fed a host of celeb glossies. And above all, the soft demeanour has seen his popularity graph shoot up in no time in the starry world.

In person, Rajeev Khandelwal has to tackle his career that has now graduated from TV to the silver screen and of course, female fans. The hunk had a tough time tackling all the girls who came in big numbers for a sight of prime time television's 'chocolate boy' at a Vadodara multiplex on Sunday. For starters, a star-struck kiss by one of his female fans.

What brought him there? His debut film Aamir. But, Mr Cool didn't look perturbed at all and wittily remarks, "I had to keep my emotions in check, which was not an easy task!"

What made him choose such an unconventional film for his big-screen debut? "Today, there is a lot of experimentation in the film industry, which is good. There is no safe formula. Besides, nobody would make a costly film like Saawariya with me. I listened to quite a few scripts, but really loved the script of Aamir. I may not have a godfather in the industry, but eventually, talent is all that matters," he says confidently.

And how was the experience? "It was great. We shot in real locations. I loved every frame of Aamir. We shot almost 70 per cent of the film without any retakes. Also, it was an eye-opener for me to witness how cordially Hindus and Muslims live together," he elaborates.

So why did he decide to quit television while things were going so well for him? "It's not easy to leave when you are at the peak, but when do you expect me to call it quits? When a serial stretches on and on? I believe sincerity is very important and at that point, I was not enjoying those serials anymore. In the near future, unless something really interesting and different turns up, I don't see myself doing television," he shoots back.

So who's the real Rajeev in real life? "I am a very ordinary person who's very proud of his roots. I belong to Jaipur, which has a rich history. I like travelling, reading and am a sports buff," says Rajeev. Being a Science graduate, how did he get into acting? "I had realised that a chemistry degree won't really help me. Like my dad and brother, I wanted to get into the army but my form reached a day late. Now that I am here, my degree helps I guess, as the industry is all about on and off-screen chemistry!" he says in his inimitable style.

His next film is "a love story, which is a bit unconventional." Rajeev, who has directed documentaries, is "110 per cent confident of directing a film some day."

And what about his alleged link-up with Aamna Shariff? "Oh, I am so happy to be linked with such a beautiful actress! But I am single." Dream on girls!