When reel life becomes real life…
While Piyush Raheja and Vishhal Mehra was bumped off in both the popular Balaji serials 'Kahinto Hoga' and 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', Rohit Bakshi who was performing the hospital and the death sequence in both the serials, had no clue that the reel life incident was in some way repeating in his real life; destiny had its own game plan for this upcoming television actor.
At that minute Rohit's mother was being treated for jaundice at AIMS (Al India Institute of Medical Sciences), Delhi where she breathed her last on April 15.
"Life cannot be more ironical than this," Rohit is still trying to figure this out.
"My hospital and the death scene were shot after my mom's death. It is so funny. I was asking God 'why is this happening to me? She was in the hospital from April 3 to April 15. She passed away on the 15th and the same night Piyush's wife Kashish (played by Aamna Shariff) dreams about Piyush not being there. The scene where my body is brought home and people are mourning I just experienced all that in Delhi when mom passed away."
"I had to struggle for two years. I would meet people not get work, sit at home leading to a lot of frustration. I would circulate my photographs and wait for calls. Life was very comfortable in Delhi. Here, in Bandra I used to stay in a guesthouse with 26 people having two toilets. Coming from a three-bedroom huge flat it was difficult initially. I used to write my diary, write letters to my mother. I used to call her eight to 10 times in a day just to tell her small, little happenings. She was the one person I would share my experiences with." Introverted and shy, but not self-centred, this Libran lived in Qatar for about 14 years where his father worked and returned to India in 1987-88. He completed his B.Com and a two-year course in fashion designing alongside.
"I came to Mumbai five years back with the aim of becoming a model because all the big television commercials and music videos are being made here. Delhi is more famous for still photography. I did some jobs in export houses in Delhi but I was not too happy. I was already modeling in Delhi; I could have joined my dad's business also but I wanted to do something on my own. I gave myself one year. Facing the camera was a big thing for a shy person like me. I started circulating my photographs and started getting calls for auditions. I was destined to be an actor!" he says.
Rohit's television career began with 'Titliyan' for Sahara TV, which happened without anyauditions. "They liked my looks. I played a Muslim character. Initially, it was very difficult for me to learn the dialogues and then to face the camera. Earlier, I had auditioned for ads but it didn't work out for me instead I made it in serials," he says.
'Chudiyan', 'Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain', 'Sukanya', 'Tanhaiyan' followed, but recognition came with Balaji. "I did a negative role in Ekta Kapoor's 'Kutumb' and then 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' (KSKBT) happened. Now, people started recognising me," says Rohit.
Prior to 'Kahin to Hoga', Rohit was doing inconsequential roles - as one of Sudha Chandran's henchmen in 'Kaahin Kissi Roz' and Tulsi's son-in-low in (KSBKBT). "I will be back in KSBKBT soon. My track is developing again now. But KTH was special. I was one of the main leads. I enjoyed it the most because the character was very strong and I had an identity. In KSBKBT, I am Payal Mehra's son, Tulsi's son-in-law and Shobha's husband, and Payal's character is very dominating, so there is not much scope!" rues Rohit.
Will Piyush Raheja come back?
"No how can he come back, they have revealed my face as a dead body. The character is dead, he will not come back. He will come back in flashes, sometimes in dreams. Had they shown that I fall in a khadi and am lost then it would have been possible people would have hoped that he will come back but now that they are revealing my face then how is it possible!" he declares.
Rohit has moved on; he is enjoying playing Nikhil in 'Lavanya'. Although, bestowed with soft and gentle looks, Rohit finds negative roles far more exciting, "because you have more freedom in gesticulating while coding negative roles," justifies Rohit. --By Special Arrangement
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Hindi TV Shows
Bindi
