It is raining sequels and seasons on the small screen. So, it was not surprising that Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Baar Phir joined the season 2 line. The serial, a romantic drama, which premiered on August 26, 2013, features Avinash Sachdev as the lead. He speaks with RAKSHIT MAlHOTRA about how he wanted to play a role with shades of grey and, thus, is happy playing Shlok
It appears, viewers on the Indian telly are in for sequels of their favourite soap. With new seasons of shows like Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha, lapataganj and Pavitra Rishta already on air, it was only a matter of time that producers of the popular romantic show Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon would cash in on the trend of fresh starts.
“The show was quite popular and the audience loved the chemistry between the lead pair, Barun Sobti and Sanaya Irani. Interestingly, when I went for the audition, I was unaware that it was for the sequel to Iss Pyar Ko.... The show’s name was then underwraps. When I was finally told that I was the lead for Iss Pyaar... season 2, I was on cloud nine. It was a challenge for me — I had to ensure that the sequel would be better and more popular than the original,” Avinash Sachdev, who plays Shlok, says.
And, what better way to catch the viewers’ imagination than to start the soap with a war between the lead pair. Sachdev who plays the role of a dynamic, self-made confident man is not only the hero but also the villain in the serial. “He is chauvinistic and there is no place for love in his life,” the actor tells you, adding that Shrenu Parikh (Astha), the woman lead is a fantastic girl. “I am enjoying working with her. She is just like the character she plays in the soap. She is a happy go lucky girl who smiles all the time and sees good in everything around her. She is the complete opposite of Shlok in the serial and that is what makes sparks fly,” Sachdev says.
He also tells you that while Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Baar Phir is a take-off from Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, the two are very different, something the audience would have already seen as the show has been on air for two months now. “The second season is very different from the first. Season one was all about conflict between the rich and poor. This season is all about war of love. People will make comparisons and I am ready for that. My job is to give my best, bring my individuality and create a chemistry that people will love,” Sachdev states.
Interestingly, Sachdev, who loves to travel, got his first break working with Preity Zinta for a TVS Scooty advertisement and cherishes those moments. “It is an experience that I am not likely to forget easily. It was the first time that I was doing a shoot for which I was being paid, the feeling was great.
“Of course, at that time, I was young and so immature, I didn’t know anything about the shooting. I love cars and bikes and in the advertisement I was riding a Hayabusa bike. I had to tease Preity in the ad. I just concentrated on the bike and my act and didn’t get swayed by the fact that I was shooting with a superstar,” Sachdev recalls.
The actor, who played the male lead — Dev — in both the seasons of Choti Bahu, thinks trend of seasons in daily soaps is a positive change. “It is a new phenomenon for the daily soaps as audiences gets attached to the characters and the chemistry between them. They want their show to continue and the concept of sequels is a very good option,” Sachdev says.
Interestingly, Sachdev wants to play a negative role but for now is happy with essaying Shlok and the biggest challenge facing him is how to tackle insecurity. “When the show goes off air and an actor is seen less, people stop asking about you. Today, I may on the top of my career, a few months later, I may stand no where. To sustain in the industry and leave a lasting impression in the mind of the viewers is the most difficult part of the career progression,” Sachdev tells you.