Robby is a dream role for Karan - article

As a member of Shiamak Davar's dance troupe for three years, he has several dance performances to his credit. But that was before he got a break in acting with Balaji's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. Since then he has been doing only Balaji dailies. Apparently his ability to dance and his three-year long association with Balaji helped him get the main lead in Ekta Kapoor's latest show Kasturi where Karan Patel plays the famous, super successful rock star Robby Sabharwal.

"Ekta said she wanted me to play the lead in Kasturi. After playing character roles in Kahani, Kavyanjali and Kesar, this was the first big opportunity that came my way and I said yes. A particular look was designed for the character and I appeared for the look test. Ekta was happy and I got the first major role of my career," beams the young actor who did theatre workshops and backstage work with Nadira Babbar before he got a break on TV.

Though he has been doing serials for the last three years, none of the roles he has played brought him into the limelight. "In daily soaps the focus always remains on the lead characters, others stay in the background, no matter how good their role is," elaborates Karan thus explaining why his roles in Kesar and Kahani... didn't give him great fame.

"I knew my time would come and I would graduate to lead roles one day."And the main lead that he patiently waited for finally came his way when he was chosen to play Robby Sabharwal in Kasturi. "Robby is a big rock star. He's flamboyant, arrogant and a self-made man with loads of attitude. He loves his fans and he's not a snob but he is rich and classy with a lot of style. Adulation is a way of life with him. I think that's how rock stars are," he says.

Ask him how the rich, stylish rock star falls for a middle class girl from Chandni Chowk and he says Kasturi works in his office. "They come across each other in his office and whether they fall in love or not has to be seen," he adds. "It's an excellent role and it's definitely a huge responsibility on my shoulders to play the character convincingly. I am giving it my 100 per cent," says Karan who feels youngsters will easily relate to the character.

"Young people don't watch television much, particularly the family soaps. But Kasturi will get a good share of youth audience." Apart from acting and dance, Karan loves horse-riding and script writing. "I am an amateur writer," he adds. He also likes to party and socialise a lot. His best friends are Hiten Tejwani and Yash Tonk. "We are called the three musketeers of Balaji," he laughs. Going out for dinner and to night clubs after a hard day's work with his two close friends and their spouses is a regular activity with Karan. "We enjoy each other's company and have the best time," he signs off.