Exclusive article- Shaheer Sheikh!!

We know him as TV's new Arjun but little does anyone know that this guy has always dreamt of playing the famous character one day. Despite shooting for 11-12 hours a day, this hunk-of-an-actor loves spending time reading his fan mails, perfecting his Hindi and maintaining that perfect bod! We bring you more such facts about Shaheer Sheikh's life, who is currently essaying the role of World's Best Archer in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's Mahabharat on Star Plus. Excerpts from the interview:

How is Mahabharat coming along for you?

It has been a good experience as I am learning lot of things like horse riding, war sequences and bow-arrow fighting. It is not a regular daily soap as I am shooting at a completely different place.

What has been your contribution to Arjun's role?

People were expecting to see just a warrior of the Hindu mythology but I wanted to portray Arjun's human and emotional side as well. The way he will behave with his mother, brothers, wife, relatives etc. I wanted to show that besides handling Gandiva, Arjun can smile and make others smile as well. Basically, I wanted to bring out Arjun's emotional side before the audiences.

What has been the public reaction to your performance?

I feel Arjun is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and people have lots of expectations from me when I started working on the show. The audiences have seen Arjun even before on the small screen. It took me some to make the viewers' believe that I am Arjun. And now, I see that my hard work has paid off as people recognize me as the great Pandav warrior.

How do you manage to stay fit despite your tight work schedule?

I do a lot of physically challenging work during the shoot as well as I run around a lot all the time when the shoot is on. When I get time after pack up, I try hitting the gym or go for a jog. Because I am staying on the 10th floor of the building in Umergaon, I try taking the stairs for a good workout.

Have you made friends on the sets of the show?

Oh yes, I have made friends with Rohit (Yudhistir). In fact, we have been friends since my last show. Now, our bond has become stronger as we literally stay together. I have also made friends with Bheem, Nakul and Sahdev.

And what about Draupadi?

She has started shooting recently so I hardly know her.

What are your terms with your on-screen foes - Duryodhan, Karna and Shakuni?

They are all nice. (laughs) Duryodhan is the sweetest person on the sets. While Karna and I exercise together. But I don't get much time to spend with Shakuni Mama. We have a lot of fun on th sets.

Who is your favourite character from the Mahabharata?

It has always been Arjun. So, yes, it is dream come true for me!

What are the craziest things fans have done for you?

Once I went to my office on my birthday where I found my cabin full of flowers. I had to load the flowers into my car again and again in several batches to carry them home. I also have one cupboard fully dedicated to all the fan letters. My fans write to me every day and I feel connected to them. They know me and I know most of them by their name. They give me feedback to me for every episode I do.

Are you dating someone?

No, No. I am not dating anyone since long now. My work keeps me so busy that I don't have much time even to interact with my family.

How would you want your life partner to be?

I am not in the right frame of mind to describe that now. (smiles
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