Rajiv Paul enters KA as a villian-

Rajiv Paul re-enters the Balaji camp

Just like the first time, the actor will play bad boy again

Reena Thapar Kapoor

Somehow, television actor Rajiv Paul's chocolate boy looks never tempted Ekta Kapoor to cast him as a hero in any of her serials. Surely she sees him as a bad, bad boy. So in her Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, he played a mean rapist.

At that point, one really thought that there would be no looking back for this actor. But for some bizarre reason, Paul's track in the show went missing. A few months later he was back in the show… only to abruptly disappear once again. He says that post-Kahaani... there was nothing that could 'excite him'. The lean period continued for a while… till of course Nach Baliye happened.

He says: "Nach Baliye was a turning point in our lives. The adulation and love that we receive from people is beyond explanation. After that I received many offers but nothing that came my way made me go 'aha'."

But now, it seems that the hibernation is over. All things being equal, his rising and plunging career graph, might just find some stability now. The actor has been roped in to play the lead villain in Kavyanajali. Paul, of course is excited "My track went on air last week. Everything was so hushed that it still hasn't sunk in," he says.

Rumour had it once that his ouster from Kahaani… was because he and Ekta Kapoor had a difference of opinion on certain issues. However Paul clarifies, "We didn't have any spat." He further suggests that it was all a figment of someone's imagination.

He continues: "Ekta has always given me the best of roles. I had a terrific track in Kahani... I agree that we never got down to working with each other after that. But it was only because of the time factor. Ekta had told me to patiently wait as she wanted to offer me something substantial. And she did."

In Kayanjali, Paul is paired opposite Kishwar Merchant. The character he plays will create havoc in Anjali's life. He will be "taking over her business and making things worse for her."

Ask him if he isn't afraid of being typecast as an anti-hero and he is quick to reply: "I agree that I am playing a negative character again. But it is the depth and the meat that makes one character different from the other. I'm as excited about Kavyanjali as I was about Kahani... And no I don't fear getting tagged as a 'villain.' I'm an actor and it is even more challenging for me to essay similar roles with different body language and expressions. That's the beauty of a character."

• Ekta has always given me the best of roles. I had a terrific track in Kahani... I also agree that we never got down to working with each other after that. But it was only because of the time factor