Arjun Pandit Sharma who played Sardar Ji in Koi Mil Gaya, will now be seen playing a journalist in the new show Adat Se Majboor on SAB TV. PRAGYA MITTAl speaks to him about his role in the show
Did you prepare for this roleIJ
Not much. I play a Punjabi boy (Sunny) and born in Punjab, I always preferred Punjabi roles as I am most comfortable in playing them. We visited the office of Bombay Times magazine in Mumbai to do research of my character, that of a journalist, it changed my perspective about the journalism. Everyone there was friendly and fun-loving. This made my task easier to adapt and understand the life of a journalist.
What changes have you seen in the industryIJ
A lot has changed. When I worked as a child artist, there were no casting directors. Only the director headed the show. There was less involvement of the channel in the making of the show. Now, everything is approved by the channel team. Of course, this has its advantages as the show gets more publicity and increased money for the actors.
You have worked for TV and Bollywood, which medium makes you at homeIJ
I find that TV is better than Bollywood. The industry is generating three times the revenue than Bollywood. As an actor, I prefer TV, as it gives you work security for a longer time. In movies, one has to search for work more frequently.
What about nepotism in the entertainment industryIJ
I don’t see the harm. It doesn’t just exist in the entertainment industry but in every business of the world. Nepotism can help an actor to get the much-needed break. However, this doesn’t work in the long run as one has to prove one’s worth. But there are exceptions to the case. Actors like Sushant Singh Rajput and Rajkummar Rao have made their mark in the industry without any Godfather. On the other hand, one will find many actors who were not successful even though they had a strong Bollywood background. If you have the talent, it will take places.
What about web-seriesIJ
They are doing great. But TV still has a vast audience due to its content and family-based shows. The advantage in a web-series is that there are no worries related to censorship. There is a huge difference in the kind of audience watching TV and web-series.
Apart from acting, what else is keeping you busyIJ
I am already writing a story for a film which is a Hindi remake of a famous South Indian movie. I have also written a script for web-series recently. I have always loved writing and will continue to write in future as well.