Love means being selfless-karan kundra

He is rich, good-looking and Ekta's latest discovery!

Karan Kundra

Yes, we are talking about Arjun Punj of Kitani Mohabbat Hai. Karan Kundra is from a business family and had his bags packed to join his family in the US, when he got a call from Balaji Telefilms. Since then, there's been no looking back for the new 'angry young man' and latest television heart-throb.

First step in television:
Unlike most television actors, Karan did not nurture any plans of being a part of the glamour industry. He owns a call centre and an industrial unit in Punjab. He took part in Mr India contest for fun and didn't take up any modelling assignments even after grabbing the title of Mr Style Statement.

Karan gives the entire credit of his success to Ekta Kapoor. How she found him is an interesting story altogether.

"I sent an invite to Ekta on Facebook. She accepted it and had a look at my portfolio pictures. Soon after, I got a call from Balaji and they asked me to come and meet Ekta. I could not believe it. I even got the number confirmed, just to assure that nobody is fooling me. Ekta is the biggest name in TV industry, to work with her is the ultimate privilege. So I went to Mumbai, met her for half an hour. She told me how she visualises Arjun and that's it, I was hired," he recalls.

Karan vs Arjun!
Karan claims to be poles apart from his character Arjun. He adds, "Arjun is a very serious guy, who doesn't laugh much. He doesn't let people easily peep into his mind. I am very different from my on screen avatar. I always have a smile on my face. And I am quite expressive and naughty. Arjun doesn't think too highly of women and doesn't get along with them. However, I am very close to my three sisters and my mom."

Karan thinks playing a character that is so unlike you is definitely not an easy task but our hero loves challenges.

Karan says, "Playing such an intense character is every actor's dream. I think it's a perfect beginning for me. Right from being aggressive, funny or shedding tears, I have done it all. It's rare that you get so much to do in your first show itself."

Mastering the art of acting:
Being an actor was never a part of his plan. He took no formal training in acting. But that doesn't mean he tries to copy anybody.

Karan discloses, "I don't believe in taking inspiration from other actors. On first day of the shoot, my director told me, work on your own style there is no point copying others. Kitani...was supposed to go on air from December last year but it was delayed by a month. So I got enough time to prepare. The team actually worked on me, to make me Arjun. Right from the look to the expressions, we gave a close look to everything. Even a few workshops were organised for us. I think now, neither I need rehearsals, nor do I get time for them. "

It's all about hard work:
We always heard TV actors cribbing about their long working hours and disorganised shooting schedules. But Karan seems to have no complains with it.

He reveals, "We work at a maddening pace. I remember working for 50-60 hours on a stretch. I lost nearly 11-12 kilos because of not getting adequate sleep and irregular eating habits. I think it's nothing new. Lead actors of all daily soaps undergo the same. But all the hard work is paying off well as the TRPs of our show remained unaffected from the IPL craze."

His co-stars...
Neena Gupta, who was playing Karan's mother in Kitani Mohabbat Hai, was recently replaced by Papiya Sengupta. Though Karan refused to comment on the issue, he confessed that he loved working with Neena.

"It was a dream come true to share screen with Neena Gupta. She is a veteran actor and I was really excited to work with her. I have been her fan since 'Saans' days."

Karan is quite impressed with Satyajit Sharma too, who plays his father in the show. He shares a comfort level with him and has a mouthful of praises for the actor. "Satyajit is a very down-to-earth guy. I have had some very important scenes with him and he has always made it easier for me."

On and off screen chemistry with Arohi
The latest buzz is that, Karan and Kritika Kamra, better known as Arohi are more than just friends.

Karan denies it and says, "We stay together for almost entire day and are very close. Kritika is a very nice girl and we like being together. But there is nothing beyond that. It sounds filmy, but yes, we are only 'good friends'. And if it progresses, I will definitely let you know.

Karan's relationship status on Facebook says, 'complicated'. We tried to dig out some details.

"I wrote that nearly two weeks back, God knows why. And things are a little complex at the moment and I am not sure of anything so it's 'complicated'."

How he defines love...
Kitani Mohabbat Hai is definitely a unique love story. In one of the episodes Arjun said, 'Pyar ibadat hai'. His love for Arohi is not about getting the girl; it is about being with her. Does Karan relate to Arjun's definition of love?

Karan replies, "Definitely, love simply means being selfless. Even if the other person does not acknowledge your efforts, it doesn't matter. I know so many people who love their partners with such dedication. Infact, if I will fall in love, it will be the same for me. It's all about passion."

TV...stepping stone to Bollywood
Karan has no Bollywood plans yet and is happy being a star on TV. "A year back, I didn't know that I would land up playing Arjun Punj. Therefore, I don't know where I will be next year. I never plan things for myself and just go with the flow," says he.

A word about Ekta:
"She is completely professional. I wouldn't have come for the interview if it was someone else. Ekta is an active part of Kitani Mohabbat Hai and makes sure to get the best out of her team."