The good looking and talented actor Shardul Pandit, who has made his comeback with &TV’s newly launched series Kuldeepak (Shobhna Desai Productions) after a gap of six years, is quite happy and excited about his new beginning.
He is playing the role of a father of a five year old kid who is possessed by evil powers by birth. In a conversation with us, Shardul reveals more about his role, his looks and much more.
Excerpts from the interview –
How does it feel to be back on television after a long gap of six years?
I am more excited about my comeback than being nervous. I am feeling very grateful. I am also a VJ with 9XM. There were a lot many shows that were offered to me which I didn’t want to do but there was a time when I got so frustrated that I was about to say ‘yes’ to a show which was not for the lead role. Soon then I got a call for this show so I think it was destiny. I am grateful that all my friends from the industry have made it so big for me, whether it’s Ankita (Bhargava), Divyanka (Tripathi), Mishkat (Verma), Mrunal (Jain), all of them have posted on their social media requesting everyone to watch the show. It was very kind of them. I feel very blessed and excited; not nervous any more.
Please reveal something about your role.
It’s a positive lead that I haven’t done before. People know me as a negative guy. This was a big barrier because unfortunately branding happens in our TV industry that you are positive or negative. My character is very romantic. The entire family including his wife (Keerti Nagpure) believes in some beliefs but he likes to talk about logic. He doesn’t believe in supernatural.
We have heard that you have worked a lot upon your looks. Please tell us something about that.
The look was the main concern because I was too young to play father of a five year old and I had to look little serious. He is soft and a mature guy. Just a day before beginning the shoot, our stylist, our producer Shobhna (Desai) mam and people from the channel were helping me out with the shopping and approving my outfits. I am wearing the most expensive jackets. I have been in Dubai for a few years and the fashion in Dubai is very different from what it is shown in our Indian television. I had to grow beard and keep a sober hairstyle with which I was not habituated at all.
How do you bond with Vansh (Maheshwari) off-screen?
It’s fantastic! The only kid with whom I am close to in real life is my nephew. I used to get scared of holding little infants as they are too small and they need to be carried with extra care. Here, I had to shoot with small babies and it’s little difficult to shoot with them because their emotions might differ with what we are shooting for a scene. It’s easy to shoot with Vansh because he himself is an experienced actor. I had to be friends with him so that the scenes between father and a son come out to be good. For that, I get chocolates for him (smiles).
Do you believe in supernatural?
I believe in God but I don’t believe in supernatural. I believe in the existence of good and bad vibes. I pray to God in real whereas my character doesn’t. My character doesn’t believe in superstitions too.
Will you be juggling with two shows now; Kuldeepak and 9XM?
I would like to do both because I enjoy doing acting as well as being a VJ. Both the channels and the producers have been very supportive with my decision and gave me the right to choose whatever I wanted to. Even the people at the 9XM channel were very happy to know that I have bagged this show. I feel very blessed.