On EDKV 2nd anniversary,Namik talks about how show changed his life

When Ek Duje Ke Vaaste aired its first episode two years ago, there was hardly any hype surrounding the show. However, in a span of six months, fans built a strong bond with the unusual love story of childhood friends, Shravan (Namik Paul) and Sumo (Nikita Dutta). The show was fresh, realistic and had an emotional connect. It also brought Dehradun lad, Namik into the limelight. The actor had done a part in Qubool Hai but it was his outing as the arrogant Shravan Malhotra that was an outright winner. A few days back, he put out an emotional post thanking fans who made the journey so memorable. The hunk tells us, "I don't know...I never thought I would have more than 200K followers. I always knew I wanted to do great work. I am still learning. To see the love of fans and experience it, I am overwhelmed.

Ek Duje Ke Vaaste also marked his foray into the world of TV. "There have been many highs seeing your first promo, the first episode and witnessing your improvement. The growth has been very exciting. I would be and I still am happy seeing people liking my pictures (laughs). EDKV was my first show and worked brilliantly for me. The sad part was obviously, the show shutting down abruptly. Talking in general, the low point of this profession is the constant uncertainty, which never goes away. You work on a project and think whether you'll get another one.

During the tenure of EDKV, Namik faced his share of media scrutiny and was even linked up to his co-star. Was he prepared for this side of the profession? "All of it was part of a learning curve. The rumours were all in the background. I was working for 27 days in a month, learning every day, which was far more exciting. Moreover, the gossip did not get down to a level,which would be offensive. After some point, you learn to deal with it, he says. With his height (6.3 feet), he does not have the looks of a quintessential TV actor. We were curious to know if the actor had Bollywood dreams. "Yeah, some people told me that I did not have the looks for TV. I am very happy being a television actor. I don't see it as an inferior medium. Yes, the method of working in films is different but what I have gained from TV is more than what I could asked for. I respect TV and I have utmost commitment for what I do in this medium, he asserts.

After playing an brooding lawyer in Ek Duje, Namik moved to playing a ghost in Ek Deewana Tha. We saw little of the actor in the first few episodes and it's only now that he has good screen space. Wasn't the role of a spirit a risk? "I found the overall story of EDT very appealing. And I am very sure that I want to do something new every time. It was fun. Since January, people are seeing me differently on the show. Yes, there have been complaints but you cannot get caught up in social media reaction. My producers are happy, he says.

The hectic schedules have not left him with time for a love life. Namik says that romance is not on his mind right now. "I barely have time to work out, and exercise is something I'm passionate about. Whenever love has to happen, it will happen. I cannot plan it out. I don't think a lot about these things. I am happy with work now, he signs off.