One on One with Abhay Vakil

Abhay Vakil's credentials make him an unlikely candidate for the glamour industry. His father is noted economist Dr Arun C Vakil and grandfather was the legendary Prof. CN Vakil. Abhay is an M.Com with specialisation in Business Management.

So why television? "Because acting is what I always wanted to do right from my childhood," begins the brown-eyed, intense looking actor, who's courted the stage since his kindergarten days.

"My first professional show however, happened at the age of 10, when I did a magic show at a friend's birthday party." Incidentally, Abhay is also a professional magician-cum-illusionist, who under the baton of his dance group, The Ultimate--has choreographed and performed numerous Indian and Western dances, with the last "professional show being for the US Consulate in 2003."

Currently he is busy playing the lead double role in Zee TV's Paalkhi. "Paalkhi has given me one of the best roles at the beginning of my career. It's the story of two radically different twin brothers. One is a nice, true to life guy, while the other is a spoilt brat. But the twist in the tale is that they are in love with the same girl and while one is loving and caring; the other is obsessive and possessive about his love. It's a challenge constantly switching between the two characters."

Abhay got noticed on television following his stint in Balaji's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. While his track in the serial is off air, as his character is now serving a jail term, Abhay acknowledges that it kicked off his date with "bigger roles." His favourite however happens to be Balaji's Kaarthika on the Hungama channel. "My character was inspired by Aamir in Rangeela," he says. Debuting with UTV's Kehta Hai Dil, he's also acted in Sara Aakash and Ek Main Aur Ek Tu for Star Plus.

However TV isn't Abhay's first date with glamour. He has had numerous ads to his credit like Kinetic Lazer Motorbikes, Raza.com phone card with Hrithik Roshan, Bagpiper with Akshay Kumar and Kwality Ice Cream, though Abhay's favourite happens to be the "Simba chips currently on air. Its funny and comic. Westside is another favourite that had me as its brand ambassador." He's also acted as the lead model in the Asha-Gulzar-RD Burman album Dil Padosi Hai and Jazzy B's music video.

But it never had been a smooth ride for Abhay. "I have been through a lot of downs in the industry like false promises and getting duped by casting agents. I had even signed up for a film on the dotted line, before being replaced by a big star," says the now busy star, who puts in nearly "14-15 hours of work everyday, apart from an additional two hours of driving up and down from Marine Drive to the studios in North Mumbai." He is one of those rare TV actors working from South Mumbai. Also unlike many TV stars Abhay is "happy doing television. I will never do films just for the sake of doing them. I would rather venture into direction and scripting. Currently am also working on a script of my own." Prior to television Abhay had acted in Gujarati theatre, apart from assisting Priyadarshan on the sets of Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar.

Quiz him on what next, and he sallies, "I believe in living in the moment and enjoying it to the full because great moments may last just that long ­ a moment!"