Kiran Karmarkar returns to television....

Almost a year after he took break from television, Kiran Karmarkar is back to working in serials and is all set to make his comeback next week on TV in Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasman, which will be followed by Sapatadi on Star One. The actor who hogged the limelight on prime time and got as much attention and recognition as Shakshi Tanwar who played his wife Parvati in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kiran is again back to doing the one-and-a-half shifts he had stayed away from for a year.

"I needed a break to get away from the monotony of doing one role for over five years. More than just a break I needed a change," he reasons while admitting that Kahani brought a major change in his life. "Before Kahani I was very much there doing shows like Itihaas and Ghar Ek Mandir but big recognition came with Kahani." Once he quit Kahani the sluice gates opened and he was offered several roles.

"I was offered leads in practically every serial, both on-air and new such as Yeh Meri Life Hai, Jassi, CID and Kohinoor. Ekta had also offered me two shows. Smiriti (Irani) had also approached me for Thodi Si Zameen. But I was not ready for any serial," he reveals. "Out of 365 days I worked for only 21 days, 10 days each for Darna Mana Hai and Don and one day for Saarthi."

But what kept him busy was theatre. He did Kachche Lamhe that's based on a short story by Gulzar and is directed by Salim Arif. "It's a beautiful play that explores assertion of her identity by a married woman through an extra-marital affair which becomes meaningless," says Kiran who really had to work hard on his diction. "We did a lot of shows in Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Singapore and Dubai. In November we are going to perform in the US as well." Mera Naam Joker is the other play that kept his creativity flowing. "It's an out and out comedy," he adds.

Though he had refused to do Thodi Si Zameen, a mill-to-mall story, eight months ago he is doing it now for two reasons. "One, the subject is absolutely different from family sagas. Two, it is a bi-weekly serial which will not require more than five to six days in a month. Besides the role is also good," he says. Though essentially the rags-to-riches story of Uma, played by Smriti, who is a survivor and how she transforms her life from a lower middle class existence to the rich echelons of the rich and famous while fighting for the rights of mill workers, Kiran says his character gains importance as the drama builds up.

But the serial that's really going to keep him busy is the daily soap Sapatadi that goes on air from October 3. "I am playing a dominating father of a girl whose kundali creates all kinds of problems in his life and family," he says.