My wife and my son are the biggest fan of Ek Mutthi Asmaan" - Ashish Chowdhry
The very talented and down to earth Ashish Chowdhry, who made his comeback to acting after 3 years, gets into a candid talk with urlremoved on his role as Raghav in Zee TV's Ek Mutthi Aasmaan and how hard it has been for him to select the right step for his comeback,
How has the transition been from movies to television?
It was a calculated decision actually. I was away from movies for 3-4 years, I was away from any kind of acting because of personal matters. I also loved the family business. Now I had to re-instructure ever tying, as we went through bankruptcy that time and being a movie actor, it was not like that I had reached the position I wanted to, I was not a very big actor. Money is never enough even for secure, because of how the profession is. I did step out, as I wanted to concentrate on my business. I did start a business of security service, also did step into advertising agency, because my dad also had an advertising agency before that. I tried technology, but it didn't work out, as every business don't work out. But I still have my security company and my agency is doing pretty well. When I was ready to comeback, even my partners and my co-actors kept telling me "Ashish, you have to do, what you are best at". Somehow being a celebrity, whether it's in TV or movies, it always helps business. So I knew I had to comeback in this line, because first of all I love it and I missed acting. When I had a comeback, I choose to do television for a couple of reasons, because in films I don't get anything other then multi-starrer comedy. I said why not try TV, I then announced that I am ready to do serials, and the kind of offers I received was unbelievable. I choosed to play Raghav Singhaniya for various reasons. I also choose the show as Tony and Diya have been friends. I knew I wanted to work with life minded people and I had the option to work with whoever I wanted to, because I was coming after a hit movie Double Dhamaal'. Normally when people come into television they come after a flop, so people know they are entering TV, as they don't have work in movies. But in my case, it was different. Today I don't regret it at all, because I feel the kind of recognition this character and this show has got and the satisfaction I get as an actor doing the show, is incredible. So I have no complaints at all.
How different is Raghav from Ashish?
I think they the once who interact with me on Twitter knows, in fact the most exciting thing for me has been Twitter. I see that my followers increase with 100-200 followers each day, which means there is a very good reach for this character with the people, some kind of likability. I was a person who was completely opposite than Raghav, more fun loving and not at as successfull as Raghav. Over a period time, specially when you are doing a daily show, you start living the character. I started as Raghav when I was someone who was completely opposite of Raghav, but sometimes today I feel that I have got a little bit of Raghav in me. But those who interact with me on Twitter, definitely knows that I am nothing close like Raghav. I have done a lot of homework on the character and I do everything I can to make character look like, because it was a very demanding character. When they build up Raghav Singhaniya, there was huge expectations from this character and I had to live up to it, which was the most difficult. Now it is pretty much set, now I have Raghav in me, so I know when I can switch on and switch off Raghav.
Ek Mutthi Aasmaan did in a very short time top the charts and was liked by the fans, how did that feel?
Well I feel very happy and I give a lot of credit to the people who are looking for something other then just saas bahu and regular TV shows. That was among the main things I also had in the mind, that I don't want to do regular kind of TV shows. So when you see the show, you will know that it is not an everyday or always kind of releasing TV show. There are bunch of people experimenting with stories on TV and movies, but nevertheless, it was my judgement of what I felt was the best for my comeback, and when fans like the show, I feel my judgement was right. That makes me most happy, that I did not make a wrong decision taking up this show as my comeback to TV. Like I told you, I handpicked this particular character, I handpicked this particular kind of show, as I felt there was something in it.
Fans has really liked Raghav and Kalpana's chemistry. So what's next in store in the show for Ek Mutthi Aasman fans? Anything interesting going to happen between Raghav and Kalpana?
I know on Twitter, people has gone crazy that I got married to Pakhi and this whole RaghNa thing has become quite a huge thing all over the social platform. Sometimes I don't understand what makes them reach that level of liking or that kind of craze, but it is something I look at as success of the show and the two characters. What fans can look forward to is the fact, that what people eventually like, is what the creatives are going to give them, irrespective of where the storyline is going right now. It is very simple, unless you don't build drama, there is no show, if they show Raghav and Kalpana in love all the time, then there is no drama. Like in serials I know what's happening in the next 15 days, more than that I am not aware of it. But all I have noticed till now, by my experience of the small time in the TV industry, is that the creatives will eventually give the fans what they want.
What do your wife has to say about your role and performance in the show?
My wife and my son are the biggest fan of Ek Mutthi Asmaan. I am surprised, my son is 5 years old and he is glued into the TV 7clock in the evening everyday. In fact even if they are out somewhere, he always tells me "Dada, I will be going home, we have to watch Ek Mutthi Aasmaan". Also the show is very child friendly looking on the story. I don't see anything in it, which can not be seen by a child. I have done some movies in the past like Girlfriend, which was a wrong movie and I decided that I will never do anything that my child can't be able to watch. Today I feel happy, that my wife and son enjoys what I am doing. In television when you go to shoot, the next day it airs on TV. My son goes to shoot sometimes, he catch the episode the day after of me wearing the clothes of yesterday, he tells me what to do and sometimes he calls for action, the next day he is watching the episode on TV and says "I directed the shot, I decided your clothes, etc". That is what I like about Television, in films you have to wait for 1 year before it comes out. In TV my family knows where I am and what I am doing and the next day my work is on air. Sometimes my wife tells me that you are looking tired, don't be like that, it shows on TV, or do something about your hair, this way they can contribute to me. It's all so immediate, it is a different high from movies.
After portraying the role as Raghav, have you ever had any encounter with fans?
Of course, TV by it self as a medium has a big reach. I know till know I have done over 30 films, but every time anyone had to remember me from a character they called me Boman from Dhamaal, if they don't wanted to call me Ashish. I always remember the stories how Gabbar Singh and Samba, just became the character as they were so popular as that character and they never had another name. So I used to think, Oh My God! Boman is stuck to me. But now everything has changed, and suddenly people who don't call me by my name, has started calling me Raghav. So if Raghav has taken the place of Boman, I think then for me it's an achievement. Because Boman was quite popular from Dhamaal, so if Raghav has outdone Boman, then it is quite speculator.
A message for all the fans who love you?
The message is 2 big words called, Thank You! I am surprised and honoured. In films I know I do have 4 or 5 hit films and I have tasted success, but I have never tasted the kind of liking for a character, and like I told, Raghav has today outdone Boman, and I have never tasted this kind of liking for a character in my career. It is only because of them I'm happy on my decision of a come back in to TV. Today I thank the fact that there is a social platform, today I thank the fact that there are fans, today I thank the fact that we have interaction with them. So that's why I am feeling secured that I picked up Television, if it wasn't for them, today I would had been thinking in my mind, did I do a right thing or did I do wrong. But it is only because of my fans, specially on Twitter, the once who follows me I call them Twamily'. Twamily' is a place where there is lot of love spread, if you see the people who follow me, there is no bad comments and they all have become each others friends. So it is this gang of people who made me happy to be part of the television industry.
Writer: Nadia
http://www.urlremoved/my-wife-son-biggest-fan-ek-mutthi-asmaan-ashish-chowdhry/
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