Article:The kasauti man:Hiten Tejwani

E ktaa Kapoor calls him as favourite actor. She says, "Hiten (Tejwani) has a cer- tain charisma that appeals to the masses and the classes." Always a good role It seems that apart from his wife Gauri Pradhan, Tejwani thinks the world of Kapoor. He has recently replaced Cezzane Khan in Balaji Telefilm's Kasautii Zindagi Kay. He says, "It's just that Ektaa has a foresight about which actors will suit a character best. Whenever she's called me for a show, she's never given me a raw deal. She trusts me, so there is no question of saying no to her, especially when everything about the role is perfect." Playing Pratham Mittal The six-year-old show has taken another 20-year generation leap. Tejwani essays the role of Pratham Mittal. With bleached spiked hair (the Kaante look) and light brown con- tact lenses as part of his look, the actor portrays a ruthless business tycoon. Pratham Mittal was also the name of his character in his first serial Kutumb. He played a brat with loads of attitude in the seri- al which was also produced by Bal- aji Telefilms. The show made him popular. It was here that he met Gauri. Tejwani says, "Yes, the name Pratham Mittal is close to my heart. It brings back memories of Kutumb, which was a special show in my career.It's tough mak- ing Kasautii's Pratham somewhat different..because my fans are familiar with my role in Kutumb. They know all his lines, manner- isms and songs." No bad blood Isn't he tired of being called a replacement actor? He explains, "Whenever I'm asked to join a show, I try to call up the actor to know what went wrong. I don't want to trample on other people's toes. I'm easygoing and have no ego hassles. I'm friends with all my co-actors." 'K' rules Currently in Kyunki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Karam Apna Apna and Kasautii Zindagi Kay, has he closed himself to other producers? He says, "Nothing like that. I get offers from other production houses but the minute I take them up, dates become a headache." He adds, "But when one is working with the same company, it's their responsibility to adjust my dates. That's a huge relief since I just have to report on the sets at a particular time." Isn't he spreading himself too thin with two to three daily shows? He reasons, "It's the time to work hard. In this field, work slows down after a few years. I will put my feet up when that time comes. Till then, why not slog it out?" Family talk Is Gauri pregnant? " No. Both of us have been badgered by this question recently. My fans tell me that, this time we must be expect- ing our sixth child because these stories come up so very often. Why would I hide it?" he smiles.