Viraf/Mrityunjay AT #3 - Page 20

How does a Merchant Navy sailor take to acting?

It all started when I won the Mr India (Grasim) 2005. I was in it because my brother insisted I pursue my dream. I loved to play act and was interested in mass communications. My second brother also pushed me into it. So here I am.

You play a killer-rapist in your latest show. How difficult is it?

It's always challenging to play a character which is different from real life. That's where an actor's skills come into play. How well he portrays a character so unlike him is the difficult part. But just to let you know, this character may not be negative all through. I would love to let the viewers decide how my character shapes up.

Tell us more about playing Mritunjay?

I don't want to give away anything by talking about my role. I want the audience to see the soap. If I tell you what Mrityunjay is all about, it will take away the mystery and the intrigue around it.

What about your unkempt look in the show?

A jailed Mritunjay is bound to be unkempt. The make-up has been done to suit the character of a criminal. If the audience falls in love with this look, all the better. But if they feel I need to clean up, I will because my job is to entertain the viewer.

Your previous shows Mahi Way and Teri Meri Love Story were about romance. Is it a conscious decision to do only love stories?

I was born to play a romantic. I was offered a role but I turned it down because it was not romantic. So, yes, it has been a conscious decision and, for now, I'll stick to doing romantic roles on the small screen. But it's a film, I'll play any role provided there is some pay-off.

What will work in favour of this show?

It is unfortunate that the media, directors and producers always want to dissect a show. If a soap becomes a hit, they immediately start analysing it. But for a viewer, it is only about the magic a serial is able to create. It is either accha hai, or theek hai. I am sure Ek Boond Ishq will create that magic.

What's your chemistry with your co-stars?

It is fantastic and the team is to be too good to be true. We have fun, joke around and have a blast on the sets. So, I am loving this honeymoon period. Everybody is fired up and that has added a lot of energy which comes out while shooting.

TV or films for you?

Films, of course. But not at the cost of jeopardising this show. It's been seen that when a show's lead actor leaves for tinsel town, the production house and the co-stars are left in the lurch. My commitment is with Ek Boond... If I am offered a film, I will take it only after the blessings of the people involved with the show.

Ishq like no other

Ek Boond Ishq, scripted and produced by Saba Mumtaz, came by after she read an article on how women in the US want to marry men on death row. "Over the next five months, I fleshed out the characters which was the easiest part. To get it on the floor " to see the final product " that took two-and-a-half years," Saba reveals.

It's a refreshing soap where the male lead has a dark side to him. "I hope Ek Boond Ishq reflects newness. I am always searching for new themes but one can't totally deviate from what the audience wants," Saba says. "If the viewers want a character to develop in a certain way, we change the plot and go with the flow," she adds.

Ek Boond Ishq replaces Savitri on Life OK at 8:30 pm.