TOI: TV is kinder to newcomers-Shashank

Says telly heartthrob Shashank Vyas in an interview with Ahmedabad Times

In his last interview with us during his visit to Ahmedabad, Shashank Vyas, better known to television buffs as Jagya from Balika Vadhu, had lamented the fact that young girls don't seem to like him. We ask him if things have changed since then, and he laughs, "Not really, yaar! I seriously need some help on that front, as it's only the 40 plus ladies who pamper me."

The actor, who was in Vadodara to promote his show, says that he finds it amusing how involved the audiences get with a show, "Just last week, I had been to the Siddhi Vinayak Temple, when a lady came and said, 'Itna paap karte ho to mandir to aana hi padega!'

She was obviously referring to the grey shades that Jagya's character has. It was quite an experience. Personally, playing the role of Jagya has been tough, because child marriage is not a concept I can relate to. But I loved the challenge and I have grown as an actor with each passing day. I feel my mother's blessings have gone a long way in ensuring my success, who was a huge fan of this show."

For someone who got into acting purely by chance, as he "did not get admission in a good B-school", the Journey has been a satisfying one. "Now, when I look back, I feel I wasn't suited for a 9 to 5 job anyway. Probably, things are a little easier on television for newcomers with no acting background as compared to B-town." he feels.

He is pretty different from most guys, for sure. He shares, "I don't like watching cricket, though I love playing the game. Besides, I love to cook and the kitchen is my favorite place at home. Food is my biggest weakness in life. That's why I gorged on Gujarati thaali during my Ahmedabad visit, and I loved kadhi. I learnt to cook in my student days, when I had to stay away from home for six years after completing my schooling. Since then, I don't really like eating out and prefer simple, homemade food. I think living away from home at such a young age helped me a lot in emerging as a strong person, and also taught me how to handle my finances."

He adds, "In Mumbai, I struggled a lot financially for two years but never gave up, because I think giving up means insulting yourself. Today, it feels great to be working 15 hours a day. I chose this busy life by working extremely hard, and there are no complaints."

Ask him about his de-stress mantra and he replies, "I think sleep is the best stress-buster, and I catch up on my sleep whenever I get time. In Mumbai, traveling takes a lot of time, which makes meeting up with old Friends a challenging proposition. While I don't hit the gym, staying fit is crucial in this profession and I run for 30 minutes every morning without fail to ensure that." he says.

While his cute, chocolate boy looks make it hard to believe that he can get angry, he surprises us when he says that he is a pretty aggressive guy. But he adds, "I am also one of the most mischievous persons around on the sets, and my co-stars will vouch for that! I tease both Anjum (Farooki) and Pratyusha (Banerjee) a lot."