If you thought television baddies have to be old, ugly and uncouth, actor Chetan Hansraj proves you wrong. One of the most popular on-screen villains (Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii), this suave hunk has women-a-plenty drooling over him. But success is nothing new for 32-year-old Hansraj, who's been a successful child actor and has featured in ads for yesteryears' bigger brands like Glucon D, Forhans, VIP and Thumbs Up. He decided to make a comeback at 26, giving up on career options in fashion design and animation. Acting was always his first love... Again, success didn't keep him waiting. Second runner-up at the Gladrags Model Hunt and first runner-up at the Best Asian Model competition, he went on to bag commercials like Tata Safari, Cinthol, Wagon R. When attempts at Bollywood went nowhere, he began visiting TV production houses. And finally, Balaji Productions approached him in 2004, for a small role in Kkusum. The rest, like they say, is history. Today, he's among the small screen's reigning stars. "It boosts my confidence immensely. The fact that so many people recognise me, want to speak to me, touch me and ask for autographs and pictures—it only shows that they like me and my work," he declares. Yet, TV remains just a stepping stone . "There is something about the big screen that I cannot explain... no one can. Everything feels different when shot through a 35 mm camera," he feels.When asked whether his negative image will affect his silver screen plans, he dismisses: "Not one bit! My sole aim is not to bag a big hero's role. I just want to get strong roles, negative or positive." He already has a special appearance in Sanjay Dutt-Arshad Warsi starrer, Anthony Kaun Hai? and has recently signed a movie with Magna Productions, the details of which he doesn't divulge. "I'm very excited. My scenes in Anthony... are crucial, and link all the main characters ," he insists.All the same, off-screen, he refuses to play the star, and insists his lifestyle hasn't changed much. "When it comes to clothes, I'm not a brands-freak. I still shop at Linking Road. But I have a fetish for sunglasses, which my wife Lavina indulges," he smiles. "I know that stardom is short-lived. It is easy to get carried away. But I can sustain this only if I remain level-headed." Star struck: At a traffic signal, one night, a group of street urchins recognised him and surrounded his car. "Everyone at the signal was wondering who was in the car! That was the moment I realised it had all started for me," he smiles.