Bad guys are so cool--SHALEEN-Interview

Shaleen Bhanot is excited about his new serial, Sangam, which goes on air tomorrow. Here he plays an outright mean, manipulative character. The actor talks about his penchant for doing negative roles.

Q Your family is into the printing and publishing business. How did you develop an interest in acting?

I was also into my family business and had no plans of getting into acting. In fact, I had come to Mumbai in 2004 for some work. But as luck would have it I got a chance to participate in MTV€™s Hero Honda Roadies show where I had to ride a bike from Kolkata to the Wagah border. It was great fun and an adventurous experience. After that I got to work in MTV€™s first fiction show Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi and then one thing led to another with shows like Sania on Hungama TV, Saath Phere and Betiyaan Apni Ya Paraya Dhan.

Q So, is it goodbye to the family business?

No. Till about a year ago acting was my passion but I didn€™t take it all that seriously. But now I am concentrating a lot more on my acting career though I still give some time to my family business. Since we also import high-tech and high-end printing machines I take care of the import consignments from here, which doesn€™t take much time.

Q Your first fiction show was a Balaji production. Didn€™t you get offers from Balaji later?

They probably didn€™t like my acting in Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi (laughs). No, no, I did get calls from Balaji but somehow things didn€™t work out.

Q Your role in Sangam is said to be the real surprise element of the show. Tell us about the character.

The show is based in a small town and it is the story of Ganga and Sagar. But Madan is the bad guy. He is a thekedar who is very particular about money and power. He is a mean guy who has no emotions and sentiments. He is full of arrogance and power.

Q What makes Madan different from other baddies of television?

I can tell you for sure that a character like Madan has never been seen on television so far. Madan is a very strong, manipulative and calculative person. He is weird, brutal and won€™t think twice before killing anyone. It€™s a huge and very vast character with an amazing range.

Q Do you think viewers will connect easily with your character as well as the serial since it has a small town ambience?

They will. It€™s not a regular show with huge joint families where there are 30 men and women who talk about Rs 500 crore business deals and drive fancy cars. The USP of Sangam is the village ambience and the story. It is set in a small town because the production company and channel wanted to make a different show. As for my role, it will make a huge impact. I have worked very hard on it for the last four months. I have played the role very convincingly.

Q You have recently made an entry in Kaajjal. Tell us about your role?

I am playing a character called Shivansh Kapoor. He is a celebrity film actor who has come up the hard way. He appears to be a genuine person but is a psychic character, full of revenge against those who did not help him during his bad days. So in his own stylish way he will get even with Aditya (Sachin Tyagi), Dev (Apoorva Agnihotri) and even Kaajjal.

Q Why is it that you are mostly cast in negative roles?

I have played positive characters in Sania and Betiyaan. But I got noticed in a negative role in Saath Phere which was my first show in a major role. As an actor I wouldn€™t mind playing any role but I get to play around a lot in negative roles. Bad guys are more powerful.