Rise and Shine- Nikhil Arya

THE RECENT incident of a TV actor collapsing on the sets of a daily show doesn't come as a surprise to TV hottie Nikhil Arya. The actor who's seen as Vivaan in Aroona Irani's Rabba Ishq Na Hove and Rudr in Balaji's afternoon daily Kesar says he too has worked two days at a stretch. "I think it's a done thing for TV actors today especially when they are starting out. When you work in a new show, the initial few months are hectic as everybody from the makers to the actors and writers are trying to settle it down. And if it's a daily show then there is no bank of episodes and so you have to sometimes work round the clock to create one," says Arya cooling his heels in his vanity van.

But aren't TV actors supposed to be crammed in a dingy make up room? Arya certainly seems to have earned his stripes because it's only when you are established as a star on the TV firmament, you get perks like an A/C vanity van! Says Arya who started off as a model, "The initial TV days were difficult — I have been here for two and a half years now — especially for someone like me who came from a modeling background. "In modelling you do one good campaign or a ramp show, get a good packet and take it easy for the next 10 days but TV was a big culture shock for me." But Arya plodded on, clocked "13 to 15 hours every day of the week, 30 days a month" and today is one of the hottest stars on the small screen. Mention 'star' to him and he only smiles.

"I think also when you are a newcomer you don't want to trouble anyone, you are learning and so you want to be co-operative whereas today I am on very good terms with Ekta and Aroonaji. As long as you understand their points of view, it's a give and take, sometimes you adjust, sometimes they do." While the physical pressure he says is a given there is "mental pressure too especially when good work comes to you and you are not in a position to take it because you don't want to go back on your earlier commitments. I feel actors really have to walk a tight rope especially when good work is so hard to come by. I have refused loads of good work, a number of modelling assignments but that's fine as long as I am happy doing my work." And so Arya rues the fact that he had to say no to a lot of "good work. From playing the lead of Prithviraj in a period show on Prithviraj Chauhan to some five Balaji shows to some great episodes of Star One's Darna Mana Hai series to some B grade Hindi films, I have had to tur n them down because of lack of time." Ask him about his two leading ladies, Sangita Ghosh (Rabba…) and Nandini Singh (Kesar) and he says, "Well, to comment on a senior actor like Sangita would be uncalled for though I can tell you I get along very well with both of them. As for Nandini, she is one of the prettier faces on the small screen today. They both are nice people and diametrically opposite women. "Girlfriend? "I have had relationships in the past which have not worked out. Anyway, in this profession one cannot really get into a relationship because there is no time to spend with anyone. I would rather focus on my career right now though the 'settling down' time will come soon and when it does, I will too." he smiles.

From- The Hindustan Times,
&nbs p; Mumbai