Posted:
Drashti Dhami and Vivian Dsena in
Madhubala...
It's been a month since Vivian
Dsena's return to Madhubala - Ek Ishq
Ek Junoon, but it hasn't been a very
pleasant comeback for the actor, as
some are blaming him for co-actor
Gunjan Utreja's exit. DT caught up
with Vivian on the subject, and also
the not-so-good ratings of the show
currently.
I love Gunjan Gunjan entered as the
male lead after the time leap, but is
quitting the show within a few
months of Vivian's comeback. Vivian,
on his part, insists that he shares a
bond with Gunjan. "It does affect you
when your co-star quits the show.
We have gelled pretty well. I love
Gunjan. He's a Punjabi guy and a big
foodie like me. Quitting a show is an
individual decision and it's between
the actor and the producer. But I
have heard that people are saying,
'Vivian has come back on Madhubala
and there are actors quitting
because of him'. I'm a human being
like any other actor. I don't have the
power to make anyone quit. I don't
have the power to change the
destiny of people. I had quit the
show because I didn't want to play a
father. It was a creative decision and
it was between me and the
producer. I liked the character of
Raju, there was a meeting and I re-
entered. You cannot affect anybody
else's life," he says.
ALSO READ: Abhay Kapoor not
returning to Madhubala
No actor can guarantee you
ratings Ask him about the apparent
drop in the show's ratings, and Vivian
says, "I don't know about this. People
from the channel are saying that my
character hasn't worked, but I have
seen that Madhubala is still going
strong, while other shows have
dipped. Ratings are unpredictable. I
don't think any actor can guarantee
you ratings. When I left the show,
the ratings were 2.3, and when I
came back, the ratings were 1.8, so I
can also say that the ratings dipped
because of my exit. It is a different
ball game. The viewers are the ones
who guide the show. Many a time,
the team thought that something
would not work for the show, but the
audience still liked it. I take holidays
and so do others, and we have shot
in those situations. There have been
times when we shot the episodes in
a hurried manner, and only those
shots were taken that were
necessary."
I am not romancing my on-
screen daughter The current
Madhubala on the show is shown to
be the daughter of RK, earlier played
by Vivian. And now, his new character
Raju, is married to Madhubala. "The
question of me romancing my on-
screen daughter arises because
viewers have seen RK and Drashti
(Dhami, who plays Madhubala)
together. If I would have been
romancing Drashti in another show,
people would not have thought of
that. There is this thing in people's
minds. I have come in as a fresh
character in the show. Obviously, I
have that much sense to not
romance my on-screen daughter,"
says Vivian.
ALSO READ: Vivian's entry didn't
work for Madhubala: Gunjan
I won't feel bad if Madhubala
goes off air "According to people
and a lot of reporters, Madhubala
was to go off air four times earlier. I
think now I have reached a
saturation point where if it actually
goes off air, I won't feel that bad.
Initially, when Madhubala began and
it had been running for one-and-a-
half months, people said it's going
off air. Six months later, there were
again reports that the show is going
off air. We got to know that that
wasn't true. This is the fifth time that
people are saying this. These things
don't affect me. I am supposed to do
my job and I have to keep my
creative team happy with my
performance. Nothing in the world is
indispensable. Every good thing,
whether onscreen or offscreen, has
to end. You have to take it in your
stride. You cannot think that my
show will never go off air. I have
done three shows before this and
they have also gone off air."
My wife has fallen in love with
Raju After the time leap, Vivian
entered the show playing Raju, a
man with special needs. Talking
about his character, Vivian says, "It's
been a month (of playing the role).
Raju is a special child. These kids
need kindness and love. I got to
learn something new in life while
playing this role. Vahbbiz (his wife)
has fallen in love with Raju. She was
in love with RK too. My mother is
also very fond of Raju and she was
laughing seeing me in this role. She
said, 'You are a good actor'. That
comes very rarely from my mother
and wife because they are my
biggest critics.
I have to look rolu-polu "The
clothes are such that they make me
look fat. I am supposed to look
chubby for the role. You can't make a
bodybuilder look like a kid. So, those
tucked-in T-shirts, colourful socks
and bright shirts make me look like a
kid. I have to look rolu-polu. If I play
a mature character, you will notice a
distinct change."
No idea if my character will
become mature Talking about
whether his character will turn into
that of a mature man, the actor says,
"I haven't read the script and I have
no idea right now. I cannot comment
on whether my character will
become okay. Of course, it's a
creative change that people want.
It's the creatives' decision. I am an
actor and it's my job to do my scene
with 100% dedication and sincerity.
If you give me a scene where I have
to play a psycho's role, I will do that
too."
Even if I do charge a bomb, it
shouldn't matter to anybody
Addressing rumours that he is
charging too much for his comeback,
Vivian says, "How does it matter to
anyone how much I am charging? My
contract has not been finalised yet. I
have not even signed the contract. I
have been working because there is
mutual trust between the producer
and me. It (his remuneration) is
between me and my producer. Even
if I charge a bomb or a nuclear bomb,
it should not affect anybody else. I
have heard this quite a few times. I
don't go and ask someone else
whether they are charging a bomb
or a sutli bomb. It's my personal call."
I'm in talks for other projects,
including films "I already had some
projects in the pipeline that were in
the process of materialising when I
was called back (on Madhubala). I
decided to come back to the show.
Eventually, if I had to go out and
work, I would have had to create a
place for myself. I was a part of this
show and I enjoy a comfort level. It's
a wise decision to come back. Apart
from Madhubala, I am in talks for
other projects. Let's see when they
happen. We are also supposed to do
a final meeting for a Ramesh Sippy
film."
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Anupamaa
