'They don't call me Sujal now'

By Subhash K Jha

The Sujal image is about to be left behind. Or So Rajiv hopes as he plunges into a new daily this week.

"Left Right Left on Sony/Sab channel is my first daily in more than a year. I shot last for Kahiin To Hoga on 18 May 2005. Left Right Left takes me as far away from Kahiin To Hoga as possible. I'm blessed because people haven't forgotten me though I haven't been seen that much on TV.

I wanted to break the myth about TV stars being forgotten. And I didn't vanish entirely. I kept coming back in spurts. I did a weekly Time Bomb for six months. Then I did a cameo in CID, a music video and Deal Ya No Deal on Sony."

Audiences still remember Rajiv as Sujal in Kahiin To Hoga. "Not really. They know me as Rajiv. But Sujal as a character remains alive. I played him for two years every day. They don't address me as Sujal any more.

The moment you looked at Amjad Khan you remembered Gabbar Singjh. That doesn't mean people don't remember Amjad. In Kahiin To Hoga everything fitted perfectly. I became comfortable after twenty episodes only."

Though he evolved as an actor on Kahiin To Hoga, Rajiv says he grew as a humanbeing after the serial. "I stepped out of that world and stepped into a real world. Had to face a lot of adversities. Kahiin To Hoga turned me into a superstar.

After the serial I've been looking for reasons to justify that compliment. Whatever work I've done has helped me to grow. At least I had the balls to stand up for what I believed in. As a person, I'm equipped to take on any challenge now."

Rajiv turned down the Sony's supernatural thriller Akela which is now on air "I saw the hoardings and promos and knew it was a winner. But when I heard the narration there was no vision beyond the first four episodes. And I didn't want to do horror.

After Sujal in Kahiin To Hoga I didn't want to play another tense unsmiling character. When I saw the first episode I knew the makers of Akela had a winner on their hands. And Sudhanshu Pande looks apt for the part. I couldn't have done such a good job of it."

About his new daily. "When Tony and Deya Singh said it was called Left Right Left, I was immediately hooked. After Ekta Kapoor if there's anyone I wanted to work with it's Tony and Deya. I come from an army background, and I'm playing an army-man in Left Right Left.

When I heard the story I said, this sounds too good. Of course I had my doubts. We can never depict the army completely authentically. I'd describe Left Right Left as very subtle humour in uniform."

Rajiv however clarifies that this serial isn't situated the army. "No TV serial can afford to depict the army. But we've designed the visuals with great care. And the cadets got actually trained. It's about an academy that motivates cadets to join the army.I play Captain Rajvir Singh. I love it."

Left Right Left will only take up 18 days each month. "But I won't do another serial. I want people to know me by one character only."

What about the stories of his high-handedness while anchoring Deal Ya No Deal? "That's so funny. My high-handedness was news to me. I was supposed to have been smoking without permission during shooting.

That's what I call smoke without fire. No one on the Deal Ya No Deal is allowed to smoke. But I don't need to defend myself. There's two kinds of people in this world. Winners and losers. Neither can do without the other."

Rajiv says he isn't bothered with failure. "In one year I've done all kinds of stuff. I failed with Deal Ya No Deal. Sony expected a miracle. I couldn't save a sinking show. But at least I tried.

As long as the people working with me are happy I'm happy. I'll be focusing on television throughout this year. At year-end I'll take a serious look at a career in cinema."