Dheeraj Dhoopar, who plays Karan luthra in Zee TV’s Kundali Bhagya, tells SHAlINI SAKSENA how he loves playing this character
How much do you relate to Karan luthraIJ
This is one of my favourite characters I have played on TV thus far. I am happy to play Karan (luthra). This character is very close to me. The way Karan handles a situation is similar to how I would deal with it. When you speak Karan or Dheeraj, both are genuine people. Karan is very stylish, flamboyant and charming. I can relate to these qualities. Karan is a cricketer, when I was in school, I was the captain of my school team. So I didn’t have to prepare much when it came to getting the body language and the technicalities of the game correct
When you auditioned, did you know what role you would be playingIJ
When I went for the audition and was given the script to read out, I knew that that the character was a cricketer and was given a brief about the role, I just didn’t know the name of the character. So when the role finally came to me I was thrilled — top of the world. This is my dream project. I always wanted to work with Ekta Kapoor and do a romantic show. And here I am.
You were a model. How did TV happenIJ
I had never planned to do TV. I always wanted to be ramp model. There was a time when if you showed to be the ramp and the design, I would be able to tell you the choreographer, etc. But then I realised that I was not tall enough for this industry. I started doing modelling for various brands. Till now, I have done 120 commercials. Then one day I got a call from Rajan Shahi for Maat Pitaah Ke Charnon Mein Swarg on Colors. He himself was there for the test and got selected and shifted to Mumbai and prepared myself for the show. There was no planning, it just happened. It is good since I don’t plan much in advance, I go with the flow.
Did you think of turning down this TV showIJ
No, not at all. My mother always used to tell me to try TV. I used to stay abroad and had an accent and was a little conscious about my Hindi diction. But my mother told me that my Hindi was good. So when I was offered this role, I said yes. Earlier, people used to compliment me about my looks and dimples, now I get compliments about my acting. That feels great.
What are the twists that are in the pipelinesIJ
At present, there are plenty of twists taking place — with roka, etc. We don’t get the script in advance, we only get it for that week. So there are not many twists and turns that are likely to happen in the near future.
Given a choice, which one would you choose — daily soap or a finite showIJ
I have never done a finite show. I don’t know how to go about doing it. For now, I am happy doing daily soap. But I want to explore every medium and if given a chance, I would say yes to finite show as well or for that matter Bollywood.
You did a web-series. How did that happenIJ
I was not a part of the series, just one or two of them where we were making fun of TV shows. It became a hit. I also did a short film — Yellow. Because of that, I have two more projects in the pipeline.
How tough is it to do daily soapIJ
It is very tough. I shoot for 27-28 days and shoot for 12 hours a day. Then there is travel time. I need to hit the gym since I have to maintain myself. I got married last year and need to spend time with my wife (Vinny Arora) as well. I am lucky that I got such an understanding wife. She understands the demands of the industry as she is part of it as well.
Any particular role or genre that you are looking for in BollywoodIJ
I would love to be part of a KJo movie. I would love to dance around a tree and sing songs. This is what excites me even though some people make fun of what I aspire to do. I would love to do a biopic as well.
Why do you think some TV actors fail to make it big in BollywoodIJ Is it because they chose a wrong projectIJ
There is nothing like a wrong or right script. I don’t think that choosing a script has anything to do with, whether a film will be a hit or not. When an actor is given a narration, nobody knows what will happen. This is true for TV show too. Every film has its own destiny. It is not in an actor’s hand how big the film will be. All that an actor can do is give his best by working hard. It is all about luck. One has to go with the flow.
What is the atmosphere when you are not shootingIJ
I am the kind of person who can’t be serious for a very long time. I am the biggest prankster on the sets. I have a great rapport with my co-stars given that we have been shooting for Kundali Bhagya for just four months. We are completely at ease with each. We have become great friends and that comes out when we shot a scene.