Path to Bollywood

Page

Pooja

@poojasid2

Inactive

Posted: 17 years ago

Television actor Arjun Bijlani insists that he has always been a thorough professional though the media has labelled him a walk-out specialist, says Jyothi Venkatesh

Arjun Bijlani who is playing the lead in the new show Miley Jab Hum Tum on Star One asserts that today he is what he is, thanks to his debut with Left Right Left and not Mohe Rang De and hence he has no qualms for having walked out of Mohe Rang De after shooting for the show.

In fact Arjun says that it was Endomol who are producing Miley Jab Hum Tum who had offered the show first to him when he was acting in Left Right Left even before he had bagged Mohe Rang De. "I declined to be a part of Miley Jab Hum Tum because its launch was delayed and I accepted Mohe Rang De. Luckily for me, the producers approached me again when I was working in Mohe Rang De."

Why did he walk out of Mohe Rang De? "I was not happy with the way my character in Mohe Rang De was shaping up. When I was offered the role I was told that mine was a parallel lead role, though I realised that in a 1940 period serial, I was just essaying a character. I had even put on weight to get into the skin of my character.

When I accepted Miley Jab Hum Tum, I told the producers of Mohe Rang De that I had taken up yet another show and hence would not like to do two shows at the same time. Though I had signed a one year contract with them, I felt that I deserved better. I did not ditch them at the eleventh hour. I gave them notice."

Is there any bad blood between him and Deeya and Tony since he had walked out of Left Right Left? "I do not hold any grudge against Deeya and Tony. Nor do they hold any against me. They had even offered me their new show but I could not accept it because I am pre-occupied with Miley Jab Hum Tum. After working for a year in Left Right Left, I did ask for a hike since I was getting just peanuts. Though we had been signed for an exclusive contract, to our chagrin, we realised that our characters did not progress or graduate in any way. We wanted to quit when we were not given a hike. They cast new faces in the show when we refused to renew our contract for the third year, but had to wind the show."

Arjun insists that he has always been a thorough professional though the media has labelled him a walk out specialist. "Ask any producer with whom I have worked till date. I have always adjusted in terms of dates and done my shows sincerely. If you ask the Mohe Rang De guys, though I had walked out of the show, they will tell you that I had never ever thrown tantrums."

Arjun is not ready at all to be a part of saas bahu shows. "I do not want to do any saas bahu shows because I prefer to be part of young shows. The fact I is that I want to aim for a career in Bollywood and I do not want to be over exposed as an actor. Once I move onto films, I would never ever come back to TV, because I am using TV as my passport to films and have no qualms to admitting it."