Raja bangeya Hero!

Prerna's husband has struck gold thanks to Nach Baliye. Raja Chodhury, one-time-actor and husband of Shweta Tiwari (Prerna of Kasautii Zindagi Ki) won hearts during his Nach Baliye performances. A bad dancer, he strove to live up to the standard of his graceful wife and was hugely appreciated for his efforts. Now he has been offered a plum role in a serial called Chandramukhi. Shweta and Raja have been married for six years and have a five-year-old daughter Palak.

Says Raja, "Sunil Agnihotri and Ravi Rai have offered me a serial called 'Chandramukhi'. I play the central male character. The concept will be like the movie 'Deewana Mastaana'. Ravi Rai will direct the serial."

This is not the only serial offer he has got. He says, "I have received a couple of more offers apart from this one, but they are not in the concrete stage as yet. So I can't talk to you about them. I have got these offers only because of Nach Baliye. Nobody approached me with any offers earlier."

The success of the TV show has also given Raja the impetus to get into film production. Raja is also producing one Bhojpuri film called 'Hamara Saiyya Hindustani'. Shweta and Ravi Kissen are playing the lead roles while Raja is in a negative role."

Talking about the film Raja says, "The film is 85 per cent completed. It is a love story of a middle class guitarist (Ravi Kissen) and professional dancer (Shweta) and how they fall in love. I am playing a negative role in this film, I try to create hurdles for the hero and heroine."

Since he is producing the film, why isn't he doing the hero's role? He laughs and says, "My wife Shweta, told me while we were discussing the story of this film that I look like a villain. Since everyone knows that we are husband-wife in real life, people wouldn't like to see us as a couple on screen. So I am doing the negative role."

So are there more films being planned in the near future?
"Yes, I am planning to produce another Bhojpuri film. The shooting for this film will start in March. Right now we are working on the story; however cast is not yet finalized."

Meanwhile, get ready to see Raja on television...