Synopsis,Character Details & Articles - Page 20

That Zee TV's Saloni ke Saat Phere is popular is known to all. But producer Sanjay Wadhwa had a taste of how popular it is a couple of months ago when he was visiting Singapore along with his wife Komal..The two had gone on the famed Singapore Night safari and at the end of it sat down for some refreshments. They got into a conversation with an old couple on the table adjoining theirs. And casually the old man asked him what profession did he follow. Sanjay replied he was the producer of Saat Phere.

The old man without saying a word got up leaving his spouse behind and was gone for nearly five minutes. Sanjay wondered what had gone wrong. He soon got to know. The old man returned with a group of 75 non-resident Indians from places as far as Scotland and the US. And they all came up to Sanjay and his wife, thrusting books and paper at him seeking his autograph and having their pictures taken with him.

"It was an experience. Imagine if I had been Saloni or someone else from the star cast," shrugs Sanjay.

They probably would have packaged him and taken him home, wot say?

With quite commendable and quality films and TV shows to his credit, Akshay Anande doesn't seem to pom pom about his credentials. Rather he prefers being reticent and let his body of work do the speaking.

On the TV front he is been making waves as Brijesh bhai sahib in Zee's big ticket show, Saat Phere and of late he has been has made a part of Star One's Viraasat as Rohan Lamba.

Prashant Golecha meets up with Akshay, (originally christened John Gardener) where he turns back to the pages of his career book and also gives us a peek of the real person behind the characters he's essayed.

What's the raaz behind the conversion of you name from John Gardener to Akshay Anande?
Akshay Anande is just my on-screen name. In fact John Gardner is still used by me for my passport and bank accounts. It was during a show Indradhanush that I used the name Akshay. And Anand was added by Dev Anand when I was associated with him for his film, Hum Naujawan.

Tell us about the real Akshay Anande.
I am professional and am very attached to the characters I play. The actor within me takes a new persona every day. I am an extrovert to the people I connect to but can be short tempered at times. I am married to a non-filmi girl, Rama and have two kids, Ayaan (eight year old) and Anaaya (2 year old).

How did you pick on the acting bug?
To pursue further studies in Economics I came down to St. Xavier's, Mumbai and I had no intention of becoming an actor. And one day during a train trip to Delhi a co-passenger started talking to me about shoes but I didn't encourage it as I don't talk to strangers. The co-passenger turned out to be director Anand Mahendroo who liked my attitude and offered me a role in his show Indradhanush. I liked the subject and met him in Mumbai. After that Ravi Rai, who was then assistant to Mahesh Bhatt, offered me a film Do Pal. After that I went on to do did films like Umar Pachpan Ki Dil Bachpan Ka, Pehli Nazar Mein (Sangeeta Ghosh was paired opposite me), Hahakar, Bandagi, Pyar Ka Tarana, Tammana, Zakam and Ghulam. I have also featured in a Kannada film, America America, on which Subhash Ghai's Pardes was based.

And your TV journey?
Ravi Rai offered me shows like Thoda Hai Thode Ki Jaroorat Hai and Teacher and with Raman Kumar I have done Rahe. My other projects include Thodi Si Bewafai, Choodiyan Chattan, Choti Ma, Samne Wali Khidki (which was a huge hit) and Shagun. After that I took eighteen months break and re-surfaced with Anubhav Sinha's Chi and Me based on E.T.. Then Saat Phere happened and now it's Virasaat.

Do you remember working with Karan Johar in Indradhanush?
Ya I do. Karan was a smart boy even in those days. He used to be worried about me as I had left my leather business in Calcutta to act in Indradhanush. In those days Karan had bought the audiocassette of Chandani and he was very enthusiastic about the world of cinema. He even fixed up my meeting with his father for a story narration.

You mean you had the writing ambitions also?
Yes I even wrote one story of four episodes of Raat Hone Ko Hai, produced by B. P. Singh.

How's your experience been playing Brijesh bhai sahib in Saat Phere?
I enjoy it as I am like that in real life too. My family matters the most. It is in synchronization with my persona. At public places people come forward and address me as Brijesh bhai sahib.

You are working with Sangeeta Ghosh in Virasaat after ten years (film Pehli Nazar Main being the first project together). How does it feel?
It is interesting to play Rohan Lamba (Sangeeta is my brother's wife). We feel nostalgic on the sets of Virasaat when we remember those days. When she did that film with me she was in her 12th standard, giving her board exams.

Saat Phere or Virasaat?
Saat Phere. I enjoy it more since I am attached to it since one and a half year.

You haven't worked full-fledged with Balaji?
I did Kehna Hai Kuuch Mujhko for Sahara where Nivedita Bhattacharya, who currently plays jiji in Saat Phere, was paired opposite me. We shot for 15 episodes but then channel changed and also the star cast. I have also done a cameo in Kaavyanjali wherein I played Amrita Singh's husband.

Not thinking of going back to films?
Currently I am enjoying my TV shows but I will definitely like to do films, roles which make a difference to the story and the film.

http://www.tellychakkar.com/y2k7/mar/10mar/interview_anand.p hp

Shaleen Bhanaut is petrified of playing of negative roles. Yet, we continue to see him as Karan, the wife-beater in Zee's Saat Phere, and Agni in Sony's Kulvaddhu.

And now the buzz goes that Shaleen has been offered a role in Jeeta Hai n Jiske Liye.

Confirming the news, the actor says, "Yes, I have been offered a role in Jeete Hain… but I am not exactly aware of the character." This is because Shaleen is hard put for time, as he reveals, "Now that Kulvaddhu is winding up, we have been shooting round the clock for it. I was to meet the producers, Tony and Deeya Singh, today, but I got a call from Maverick to report for shooting. So, I am busy with that for now."

In Kulvaddhu, he is essaying the part of Agni,who limps like Sanjay Dutt in Saajan but has negative shades to it. One thing that Shaleen is clear about is, "The role in any other serial that I take up should be as good as if not better than Agni. In fact I would like to do something bigger and interesting and difficult as Agni." As Agni, though he had less dialogues to deliver, he displayed emotions through his facial expressions, which received a lot of appreciation from the audience."

Another interesting fact that Shaleen revealed to us is that he's a businessman cum actor. He is into importing printing machineries and also has a family business of publishing.

Well, way to go!

One TV actor who is always cracking to be her ravishing best for the shutter bugs is Keerti Gaikwad. So keen is she about how presentable one can be can be figured out from her 1st anniversary bash where she got into two different outfits - an Indian gear (a heavily embellished sari) and later into a dazzling white corset and skirt.

To get into her fashion psyche, Anil Merani meets up with Keerti who came across as someone who has her fundas jotted, and on a serious note is nettled about the fairer sex being targeted for their choice of dressing.
"Comfort and grace - thats my mantra" claims this actor of Saath Phere and Sindoor.

Gaikwad's most loved casual gear is a pair of black denim clubbed with fitted shirts or a basic T. Besides "I can't do without my floral flowing skirts". Tell us a trick which will never fail to create a ripple at a page 3 bash? "I would say a red backless knee length dress or a tube evening gown." What about the saree? "No yaar! I'm always dressed in those nine yards for my shoot. I restrict wearing this eternal Indian outfit purely for traditional occasions."

Coming to accessories, this better half of actor Sharad Kelkar finds the mangal sutra and chuddha the ultimate style statements with the married lot. "It's a real nice way to fuse tradition with style."

Tell her that being in this field one has to be spruced up all the time and she contends, "It's our breed that basically loves to adorn themselves. Don't ordinary house wives deck up when they go out?"

What this Maharashtrain chic really cannot fathom is the fuss about skin show, "If I like an outfit I pick it irrespective of how much skin peek it offers. My only concern is I shouldn't look vulgar." Getting in a feminist's shoes, she voices, "Every woman must have the freedom to dress the way she likes. I really get vexed when people assume that we are giving a message by dressing in a particular way." She forthrightly refutes the belief that a woman must dress more conservatively post marriage. "If my hubby has no issues with the way I dress up, why should I bother about others?"