interview: Apoorva Agnihotri
Chaitan Papnai
He always wanted to become a pilot but interestingly actor Apoorva Agnihotri's career kicked off with a blockbuster film Pardes, produced and directed by none other than Subhash Ghai and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Mahima Choudhari. It was a superhit film. But after Pardes, no other movie of his did any good for him at the box office. Agnihotri was then spotted in various television serials, some of which are Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi which turned out to be a a boon for his career. The actor can be now be seen in Sony's Kaajal (as Kaajal's boss and lover).
Another feather in the actor's cap is the forthcoming serial Shaava Shaava. "It's a musical reality show, as what I have been told till now. It's going to be a fun show," he says. Voting is also one of the main factors in this TV show. "We all are hoping that viewers also enjoy the show as we do while shooting for it," adds Agnihotri."
Nowadays most of the TV actors are stepping into the field of production and direction. What's his take on this? "I also want to step into this field of direction or production, but right now I don't have any such plans and the reason is that, you need to have a good bank balance to produce or direct any film or serial. As you know, my wife is also a TV actor. So she is also earning, hopefully one day we will have a good bank balance as a back up for ourselves," says the actor."
After Pardes Agnihotri was not spotted much in films. Was it a conscious decision on his part to join television or everything just happened to him by chance? "Everything just happened to me by chance. Tony and Diya Singh called me one day and said that they are coming up with something really new and different. When I heard the script, I loved it and didn't have second thoughts about it. I said yes to be a part of the project," he answers.
Viewers enjoyed his chemistry with Mona Walia in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi. Is he still in touch with her? "We both are still in touch with each other. She is a talented girl and has long way to go," he points out. His wife Shilpa Saklani is also a TV star but both of them met through a common friend. "From my side, it was love at first sight but she took sometime to get convinced. We met through a common friend Rakshanda Khan at a coffee shop in Mumbai," says Agnihotri."I owe my married life to Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin because it gave me ample time to spend with my wife," says the actor.
What else is keeping the actor busy these days? These days I am busy in the shooting of Shaava Shaava, and another upcoming serial Radha Ki Bateya for NDTV Imagine. "It's a simple show and I think after Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi, this is the serial I was looking for." Viewers would also spot Supriya _ Sachin's wife _ with two new girls, says the actor. Is he is also doing some Bollywood movies "I got some offers from Bollywood as well, but right know I want to concentrate on small screen, for quite sometime. So, right know I don't have any movies in hand", says the actor. How is Apoorva Agnihotri's real life different from his reel life? "I am an introvert and extremely shy. I take sometime to get along with people. Also, I am very sacred of being on stage and facing a camera," says Agnihotri