The Bold & Beautiful Shweta Tiwari - Page 58

Shabbir Ahluwalia doesn't mind giving up a plum role, but refuses to stay away from home for months together

PRIYANKA SRIVASTAVA

This cool dude of the telly world refuses to be typecast in any role. For actor Shabbir Ahluwalia, television offers the biggest platform and he wants to explore it to its fullest potential. Not only that, he strongly refutes charges of the K-series being regressive and monotonous. "Women dominate TV viewership. That is why most soaps talk about middle class values and depict the grit and determination of the 'woman kind'. Even abroad, there are shows which go on for years taking only a few season breaks depending on the popularity of the show," he explains.
The topic of discussion saunters off to the variety of roles that Shabbir has done. He says, "All serials have a different plot which is developed keeping the target audience in mind. During my career on television, I have played a spoilt brat in Kahiin To Hoga, a businessman in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, while in my latest serial Qayamath I play a boy from slums with shades of grey."
As against his screen image of being a brat, Shabbir comes across as a simple guy who works eight hours a day and after winding up work rushes back home to catch some sleep or have a good time on his gaming console. In his own words, he is a complete family person "who can at best be a prankster".
Shabbir's closeness to his family keeps him away from participating in reality shows like Bigg Boss. "I can't stay away from my family for three consecutive days, leave alone months. My answer will always be a no if I have to be away from home. I don't care a bit even if it means losing a lot of money," he says.
Has he not been known as Ekta Kapoor's blue-eyed boy, we ask and Shabbir prefers to smile. Abruptly changing the topic, he talks about his interest in sports, dance and theatre. So, we saw him shaking a leg while anchoring the series Nach Baliye along with the lissome lass Sangeeta Ghosh. Is he really dating Sangeeta? "Sangeeta and I share a great rapport. It may sound clichd but the fact is that we are just friends and nothing more," comes the reply.