SIDDHARTH ARORA, who plays Mahadev on &TV’s Bal Shiv slated to go on air on August 31, 2021, speaks with SHALINI SAKSENA about lesser-known facts about Lord Shiv and the challenges that came with playing the role
How was the whole experience of playing Mahadev?
The experience has been overwhelming. I am from Varanasi, which is known as Mahadev ki nagri. I was born and brought up there so I know the importance of Lord Shiva. There are so many temples here on Shiva — over 3,000 temples dedicated to him like Kashi Vishwanath and Mritunjay Mahadev. When I got the offer, I was sceptical, nervous at the same time. To play this role, it is a very big responsibility.
What kind of preparation did you have to do?
I did a lot of research. I worked really hard on three fronts: Physical, mental and spiritual. Physical because I had to look a certain type. I did a lot of exercises. Second is mental. I knew I had to come from a place of calmness to play Lord Shiva. I used to do pranayam but then I did meditation as well. I was in Baneras, I took training from my yoga teacher. Third is spiritual and the most important. When I played other characters, I looked for motivation outside, to play Lord Shiva, I had to look within. I tried to understand Shiva’s character, read a lot. It is still a learning curve; it is an ongoing journey. Things don’t happen overnight. It will probably take a lifetime to understand Shiva. For me, the journey has just begun
How tough was it to work on these three aspects?
It was tough; not as easy as it appears. But it is about your priority, how much time and energy you are willing to put into perfecting the role that has been assigned.
I like to portray my character as honestly and truthfully as possible. I always invest myself fully when I take up a project. The rest, the audience will decide whether I have managed to deliver this or not.
How many workshops did you attend?
The makers were sure that they wanted to cast me as Mahadev; I was not so convinced. I wasn’t sure if I could pull this role off. This was a challenge; I had to prove to everyone that I could pull it off. I wanted to prove them right. The people — the director and the creative team were very supportive throughout. I did one-on-one workshops with the director for 12 hours a day for three days non-stop. That helped me. I worked on voice modulation and how the expressions of Lord Shiva should be. We recorded these sessions and I watched them to improve. We have worked a lot of getting Shiva correct.
How did you come on board for this project?
I went through an audition. This is a common process when you take up a TV project. My audition was bad, but the channel was convinced I was the right person for the role. I was in Delhi working on my hotel project in Benaras, but then I came to Mumbai. My audition didn’t go well because I was not in the right frame of mind due to COVID-19. But the team was encouraging and things worked out.
You are an entrepreneur, how did you get into acting?
I am an entrepreneur but I became an entrepreneur in my journey as an actor. I am an MBA graduate and landed a job in Mumbai through campus placement. After working for two years for a mutual fund company, I quit to pursue acting. I was doing theatre along with my job. I struggled a lot but I finally got my break. My business gives me the liberty to pick and choose what projects I take up.
How did you get the role in your television debut Mukti Bandhan in 2011?
By audition. I learnt on the job after I was selected. I did a lot of workshops. I explored acting.
Did playing Krishna Kanhaiya previously help you in building Mahadev’s character?
I played a modern-day Krishna’s role. But it helped in many ways like the language, feelings and emotions. Working with the show’s director and the team also helped shape Shiva’s character. Even with Bal Shiva, it is a learning curve.
People tend to compare. How is this Mahadev different?
Yes, it is true that people will compare. But this show is totally different from what has been done in the past. This is about Bal Shiva, never has it been explored or done on TV. There is freshness. Also, here Shiva is newly married, so people will get o see the romantic side of his and his compassion
What is something interesting you learnt during the show which people don’t know about Lord Shiva?
There are a lot of things that very few people know. There is a reason why he wears tiger skin, why he has a Sheshnag around his neck and a crescent moon on his head. People will also find out why his abode is Mount Kailash, a snow-covered region — because he is a hermit, there is way too much energy inside; he needs to cool down.
What next?
I like to concentrate on one thing at a time. For now, this is what I have in the pipeline. I hate to multi-task and am putting my heart and soul into Bal Shiva.
