Hot 'N' Happening

He is the hottest hunk in Indian televille. With his intense eyes, twinkling smile and gorgeousgood looks, Gautam Rode could woo many a heart as Saras in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's TV debut Saraswatichandra.

The daily soap being aired in three major channels including Star Plus, DD National and Asianet (dubbed into Malayalam as Swayamvaram) has a wide-and-expanding viewership making him the ultimate prince charming of small screen.

"The show is getting tremendous feedback and I am super-excited," says the actor who was in the city on a private holiday.

Gautam might be an oddity in Indian soaps monopolised by women and the actor says he is totally cool about playing the title role in Saraswatichandra. "I think the trend is changing. The show is doing great, and now the USP is quality rather than being male or female oriented," he says. Gautam says he was more than thrilled when ace filmmaker Bhansali's first televisionventure was offered to him. In the serial, based on Govardhanram Tripathi's renowned Gujarati novel, he plays Saras aka Saraswatichandra, its sweet-and-sensitive male lead. Guatam says he started shooting without much homework and not even reading the book'. "I am not much into reading, but why I haven't read Saraswatichandra is because it's in Gujarati," he laughs.

Gautam says though he admires his onscreen avatar he can hardly relate to him. "Nobody can be like Saras as he is too straight and compassionate. Saras is an introvert, he is close only to a couple of people. In a nutshell, he is a very responsible guy who can go to any extent for hisloved ones. The only similarity between me and Saras is that we both love our families."

With a spate of TV shows, albums and ads to his credit, Gautam says showbiz was more of anaccident. "I was never bitten by the acting bug and while growing up I wanted to be a stock broker following in the footsteps of my dad. But my father died during my college days and I started acting to pay my rent. Later on, I started enjoying it and slowly I fell in love with my profession," Gautam did make his foray into films starring in a handful of films including Ram Gopal Varma's Agyaat. The actor doesn't mince words when he says his Bollywood career has been nothing to brag of. "It didn't work out and I relocated to television. As an actor I had to continue working big screen or not."

Gautam is also a star anchor who has to his credit some popular shows like India's Got Talent and Nach Baliye. "I prefer acting than hosting a show. Last few months kept me shuttling between the sets of Saraswatichandra and Nach Baliye, the dance reality show that was wrapped up last month. Right now I haven't taken up anything else and will be solely focusing on Saraswatichandra."

The promos of Sarawatichandra had him scorching the screen - flaunting his well-toned torso in waist-deep water. With his chiselled physique and equally strong cuteness quotient, it's no big news that Gautam has a bevy of female fans. Ask the actor how he maintains his dashing good looks and he says, "I eat and workout well, that's my basic fitness funda. But I like it more when people compliment me for my work."

Gautam's short holiday in Kovalam is a gift from his fans who booked him business class tickets and a luxury suite. The actor seems really touched by this sweet and thoughtful gesture and says, "I don't believe in the term fans', I call them friends and admirers. The word doesn't sound right to me; I am here only because of them." Though he hasn't explored much of Kerala, Gautam says he is completely awed by what God's Own Country has to offer.

'Thiruvananthapuram is my favourite holiday spot and I have been there a couple of times. I am a huge fan of the beaches there, especially Kovalam beach," he winds up.