D man who refused 2 b Jassi’s Armaan Sir!

SIZZLER

Tarun Khanna

The man who refused to be Jassi's Armaan Sir!

RESHMA S KULKARNI

For a man who made his debut into the glamour world as a Hrithik Roshan look-alike, is it any surprise that films are a passion and a lifeaim for Tarun Khanna? "I am a huge film buff. In fact, I am so passionate about them that I have collected close to 300 DVDs of various Hindi and English movies!" says Tarun, who is now being seen in SaharaOne's Kuch Apne Kuch Paraaye.
Tarun stared off his career with a famous cola commercial that made him a known face instantly, due to his resemblance to Hrithik. It got him noticed and he was signed on for a Mahesh Manjrekar film. "It was a dream debut with a fantastic role but somehow after 80 per cent of the shoot was completed, the film got shelved, I later on also did a couple of other films, but save for Kuch Kahaa Aapne, all of them got shelved. Hence, when I got offered the title role in the teleserieal Avinash IPS, I took it up because I had bills to pay at the end of the day, man!" remarks Tarun candidly who also confesses that serials for him are more of an adjustment. "Let's face it, however much we harp about serials giving you a chance to emote and play various roles, they can never give you the kind of popularity just one film could." However, after Avinash IPS, work kept coming to Tarun who then did Kabhi Aaye Na Judaai, Naam Gum Jaayega, Kittu Sab Jaanti Hain on SaharaOne and Maahi Ve. "I thank God however, that I have always got good work without having to scour for it. In fact, my role in Kittu was complete in every sense of the word and it gave me great happiness to do it."
Not many know that Tarun was originally offered Armaan Sir's role in Sony's Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, which he refused. Any regrets about it now? "Although it does feel bad, I don't have any regrets as such because I am a firm believer in destiny and believe that everything happens for the best. And I also believe that I got very much compensated with Kittu."
A martial-arts expert, Tarun has a black belt in Shiryoku form of karate and is also an avid chess player apart from being a self-confessed book-worm. "I prefer to spend my free time constructively rather than hanging out at parties. I don't condemn those who do that but for me, it's a sheer waste of time and I'd rather prefer to spend my time in these pursuit or with my family, who's my emotional anchor" says Tarun, who signs off saying that he is now looking to play an out and out negative character like he did in Kabhi Aaye Na Judaai."