Harshad Chopda has a fan following. Everytime a 20-something walks up to him, he quickly hands Harshad a pen and paper, and shoots, 'My mother simply loves you'. "It's complimenting, but a little crushing too," Chopda, Prem on Star's Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil realises that youngsters hardly tune into Hindi TV serials. "Going by our 12-hour working shifts, even we don't watch telly," chips in Aditi, Heer of Kis Desh. All dressed up as the blushing bride, she says 'she's come in character'. "Trust me, the number of lehngas I've worn on the show, the charm for the real one has gone. I don't want to see another bridal outfit," laughs the 20-year-old who left her fashion designing course at Symbiosis and joined Balaji. "But I still harbour modelling and fashion designing dreams," she chirps. In town to search for a winner, a fan number one for Star Parivaar Awards 2009 to be held in June, the romantic lead of Kis Desh feel that Star Parivaar is like a big picnic where everyone has a field day. But, "there is always a sense of competition," Aditi slips in quietly. "Yeah, because I know I'm quite down and out when I don't get an award," Harshad, FYI, was Mr Best Smile on Grasim Mr India, and also bagged the New Sadasya award last year on Star Parivaar Awards. "Here I am, a boy from Gondia, near Nagpur, an engineering student in Pune who made it to stardom," Harshad's finally living his dream of being an actor. "I still remember my first audition when they said we're taking you only because you match the character sketch and we'll pay less. Acting was something I learnt on the job," he says. From playing a negative role in Mamta, to a youthful boy on Left Right Left, a positive guy on Ambar Dhara and now a intense romantic lead in Kis Desh, Harshad feels he has evolved in these four years, something that has not made him miss the big screen. "I don't plan, but when it happens, I'll take it," he shares.
In a way, they've both started living the lives of their characters....sometimes, there is a blur between the real and the reel, but that's in every job. "Just here, I'd like it if tracks aren't stretched beyond a year for then stories get diluted and boring, you end up losing an audience. Also, trends get locked in stereotypes, and creativity is the victim. Everyone wants to play safe, and nobody wants to try new stuff like for instance, I love light entertainers Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai...wish there were more serials with a feel good factor," feels Harshad. As for Aditi who's been a hardcore K serial watcher since ninth grade, "I wish women would do more than just getting married on screen!" Our sentiments too.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/all-in-the-family/460719/Edited by khushix - 16 years ago
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