The Reverse Migration-Article-Vivan

Arjun: " I think after Shah Rukh Khan, it's going to be ME!"

Which films are you doing presently?

Rohit : In Sanjay Gupta's Alibaug, I play a doctor. I also have on hand Rituparno Ghosh's Mittal vs Mittal in which I play an abusive husband.

Vivaan : I'm still in talks; as of now nothing has materialized.

Arjun : I'm doing Kumar Mangat's 123 -- only a few days of shooting are left. I'm considering some other films as well.

Was performing in movies a logical extension of your TV acting skills ?

Rohit : Yeah. Being an actor you want to explore many fields. For me, moving from theatre to TV to movies has been an ideal extension. Theatre is more real but it's not for me right now; I have found my footing in TV but my eyes are now set on the movies.

Vivaan : Movies are the next step for me – I have graduated from modelling to theatre to TV and now to movies. I feel that I'm ready for the big screen. I've been preparing for a long time; and I think the time has come now.

Arjun : Who doesn't want to do movies? There is more creative satisfaction in movies.

Are you going to shuffle between movies and TV or be bold and stick to movies exclusively?

Rohit : I made my decisions way back in February this year -- even before my film Shootout At Lokhandwala was released and declared a success. I had decided then itself that I would be concentrating only on movies. It's not that I'm quitting TV … I am just moving on.

Vivaan : Not really. Yes, like everyone, I too am scared of what will happen if my movies don't work. But I feel that is everyone does what they are destined to do.

Arjun : No. It's only movies for me now.

What drew you to the movies? Was it the lure of better money or the need to escape TV's gruelling work schedules?

Rohit : TV's working schedules was the main reason for the shift. I'm the only actor who does only one shift a day; and I am thankful to my producers like Manish Goswami and Ravi Chopra who let me do that. Without this, I couldn't have done many of the things that I was able to.

Vivaan : As a matter of fact, TV has more money than films. I'm no Shah Rukh Khan that they will pay me in crores. Money was not the reason for the shift – it's more due to my passion for cinema.

Arjun : Money and everything else comes later – whether it is in TV or films, if you do good work, money will follow.

So would you say that no matter how big TV may have become of late, films are bigger?

Rohit : The only difference between movies and TV is that you are glorified a lot in the movies. A film actor is more inaccessible than a TV actor. On TV, there is a lot of proximity. TV is On/Off entertainment – when your show is on air, you can be the biggest star but you go down when it goes off air. In the movies, however, even one good role is remembered for years to come.

Vivaan : There are no two ways about it -- the reach of cinema is huge.

Arjun : Films are bigger and better. I feel there is nothing much happening on TV.

Are you scared of being typecast in movies to fit your TV image ?

Rohit : No. Because of my lover boy image on TV people were amazed to see me portray a gangster in Shootout .

Vivaan : I have the image of a loving husband in 'Maayka' and that of a good son in 'Kumkum'. As long as I am benefiting from being typecast, I don't mind. What I want to ensure is that I don't get sidelined -- the role should be prominent.

Arjun : Not really. I was seen in a negative role in 'Sanjeevani' but in 'Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki'I was seen as a loving, understanding husband. So it doesn't really matter.

If you fail on the big screen do you have a back-up plan?

Rohit : I have begun a production company by the name of Magicworks. We will be concentrating on both movies and TV. It's like paying back what you have got from the industry

Vivaan : I had an event company and we were doing well. But an event company requires your attention 24x7 and I don't have that kind of time.

Arjun : It's acting and only acting for me.

Finally, no TV actor has made it big in the movies except Shah Rukh Khan. Does that scare you?

Rohit : Not at all. I believe I'm as unique as Shah Rukh Khan. Vivaan : I'm a firm believer in destiny I don't compare myself to anyone, if people do so, fine. I do my best and leave the rest to God.

Arjun : I think after Shah Rukh Khan, it's going to be ME!