Nakuul Mehta shares how working under the Rajshri banner helped him grow as an actor and an individual. He spoke to Divya Kaushik
Over the last year, Nakuul Mehta aka Aditya from Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara, has achieved many titles on the small screen. For most telly buffs, after Naitik (from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai) he personifies the image of an ideal son and husband.
Those who aren’t hooked to the show on Star Plus often regard him as TV’s Hrithik Roshan. Nakuul doesn’t gets high on such compliments. Sounding grounded, he said, “Only when I am satisfied with my performance on the sets I feel good about my day. As far as comparisons with Hrithik Roshan are concerned, I think its my being fair that makes people draw such comparisons. I have my own individual style and identity.”
The show produced by Rajshri Productions has completed a year. And Nakuul’s character has gone through many changes. However, the actor informs that an interesting turn is yet to come. “When the show began, Aditya was presented as a young boy, not very fond of family and relationships. But then he falls in love with a girl who helps him believe in relationships and comes across as mature.” He added, “In coming episodes, viewers will get to see the changing face of relationships and how Aditya handles life’s complexities. When a person goes through fire, he shines like a gold. So the focus will be on how Aditya comes out strong after facing disappointments.”
In the past he did lots of theatre and is still interested in the medium. “Performing for a live audience has no comparisons. It gives you maximum satisfaction. There is no scope for retakes. You must be spontaneous.” Unlike his contemporaries who begin careers with the small screen, then shift to Bollywood, Aditya got the opportunity to play lead in Haal-e-Dil. “I was the quintessential Bollywood hero but the film didn’t do well.”
He was also in touch with Suraj Barjatya for ten years, but the producer called upon when there was a suitable role for Nakuul. “I was fortunate to work with Rajshri Productions in my first serial. I think as an actor I am spoilt by the Barjatyas.”
Nakuul said those days are passé when Bollywood was the ultimate destination for actors. “Over the years, differences have diminished. Now an actor like Amitabh Bachchan makes his debut in a fiction series by Anurag Kashyap on Sony. And there’s Anil Kapoor with 24 on Colors. I want performance-oriented roles. As long as I get that on TV I don’t have complaints. This year I got nominated for telly awards and hope next year I will be nominated for best actor in award shows. By then I might even share the nomination with Big B or Anil Kapoor,” he stated.
