Dr Do-good is a hot favourite
After playing the kindly doctor one time too many on television, the actor lands up with a big fan following
Subhash K Jha
Mohnish Behl
Mohnish Behl is television's blue-eyed 40-plus boy. "The label of the middle-aged woman's sex symbol is embarrassing but flattering at the same time. Since my wife (actress Arati) also seems to agree, I'm happy. My pedigree did give me an edge. Being Nutan's son made producers take me seriously," the softspoken actor says.
Mohnish seems to like his current television image of a middle-aged steadfast man. "I can play both positive and negative characters comfortably. I'm not tied down by any image. And that's an advantage. If I'm the kind doctor in Ek Ladki Anjani Si, I was also the brute husband in Devi." In fact, even in Sanjeevani, Mohnish's first soap he played a good-natured doctor.
Regarding his shift to TV from films, Mohnish says, "I was very satisfied with my innings in cinema. But somewhere a sense of stagnancy had set in. I needed a change. I still remember the morning in 2001 when while driving I noticed there were more hoardings of TV shows than films. That's when I realised the reach of television."
Mohnish starred with his Devi co-star Sakshi Tanwar once more for Ekta Kapoor's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. According to Ekta, the feedback to Mohnish's presence and performance was unprecedented. "She never told me that. Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki was the only serial I did with Ekta." Apparently his parting with Balajee Telefilms wasn't amicable. "I've been around too long, done and seen enough," he says and refuses to cry foul over the issue.
Television seems to be a good place to rest his acting aspirations now. "I give only twelve days a month to Ek Ladki Anjani Si. The rest of the time I divide between films and my family."
The actor who has starred in many Sooraj Barjatya's films, is at present shooting for another called Vivah. "I've just completed Sukhwant Dhada's Chooriyan where I've a positive role, and also another untitled Hindi-Punjabi film. I lied that I knew Punjabi in order to get the role. But my wife is Punjabi and she helped me with the dialogues. The Hindi-Punjabi film is somewhat similar to Ek Ladki Anjani Si. It's about artifical insemination with me again featured as a dependable doctor."
"Maybe it's my face," he jokes. "Till date, even when I'm offered the villain's role in films it's because they want someone who looks different from the conventional bad guy. From being Salman's adversary in Maine Pyar Kiya to his benevolent elder brother in Hum Apke Hai Kaun, I've done it all," he says.
• The label of the middle-aged woman's sex symbol is embarrassing but flattering at the same time. Since my wife (actress Arati) also seems to agree, I'm happy. My pedigree did give me an edge. Being Nutan's son made producers take me seriously
– Mohnish Behl
Source : http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=19&am p;sectname=Television&sess=1612
