“I Am Game For Any Platform, Whether It Is Films Or Web Series Or Tv As An Actor”- Rajesh Aggarwal

In this interview at Nawab E Dilli, RAJESH AGGARWAL tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that if he had continued acting and not left it for 15 years, he could have ended up as another Boman Irani

How did your tryst with the theatre begin?

It was with a play directed by K K Raina in which Saurabh Shukla was doing a leading role in Delhi that my career in stage began. After working in professional theatre in Delhi itself for a long time, I acted in a pivotal role in Neena Gupta’s first ever documentary as a director titled Bazaar Sitaram, a place in old Delhi. The film even fetched Neenaji the national award for the best director way back in 1991 I then shifted to Mumbai and started struggling to get the leading roles in films but luck continued to elude me all the time and played hide and seek with me

You made your debut with the serial Zameer on Zee TV!

Yes. Zameer which was telecast on Zee TV was my debut film as an actor on television. I played Moon Moon Sen’s son in the serial. Mohan Gokhale played my dad and I was part of almost ten episodes of the serial.

You also acted in Ekta Kapoor’s serial Maano Ya Maano.

Yes. Though I used to get a lot of offers to work in TV serials at that time, I did not want to get stuck in TV serials and lose out on films, but I said yes to Ekta Kapoor when she offered me her serial Maano Ya Maano.

Is it true that you said No to Neena Gupta when she offered to cast you in her serials when she turned a director on TV?

Yes. I declined her offer to be cast in her serials Saans and Dard. If only I had accepted her offers, instead of quitting acting and settling down in Delhi with my family business of chemicals, who knows, I could have ended as another Boman Irani in filsm and television and made a lot of money

Why? What went wrong?

In the meanwhile, I decided to get married and settle down because it was proving to be tough for me to keep on shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai for my work. But after two years of my marriage, I suddenly got an anxiety disorder, because of career responsibility and responsibility of looking after my family and managing the chemical business. Believe it or not, I battled with the disorder for almost 15 years, and almost ended up as a loner with mental disease

And you started acting once again in Delhi!

Yes. I started acting on the stage once again with the veteran actor-directors like Ranjit Kapoor and M K Raina but the desire to act in TV serials was rekindled in me once again and I started going for auditions and sending my videos for auditions once again after coming to Mumbai in search of work till I landed the offer to be part of the TV serial Yeh Teri Galiyaan.

Has it got to do with your wife’s prediction that your destiny will change after 20^th October this year?

Yes. My wife Ysha had actually predicted that after October 20 this year, my destiny was destined to change. And as per her prediction, on October 18^th, Cinevistas Studio of actor Prem Kishen called me and offered me the role of a positive cop called DSP Rane in their TV serial. I started acting in the long running serial and believe it or not, even ended up acting ion as many as 150 episodes.

You have started acting in films. Tell me about your experience as an actor in films as compared to your experience on TV serials?

I shot for a feature film called Haraami The Bastard. It is an international film which is being made in Hindi with director Shyam Madiraju from Hollywood. I have also acted in Kanu Behl’s (of film Titli fame) next film Agra. Agra is being produced by Sa Re Ga Ma Productions.

Are you also planning in terms of turning a producer of a feature film very soon?

Yes. I have realized that I was shooting at one time for 20 days a month for TV serials and it was very taxing. By the next year, I am planning to produce a feature film. I may act in it or not. It all depends on my part in the film. It is not necessary that I should act in every film that I set out to produce.

But then you have already produced two short films. Isn’t it?

Yes. I have made two short films. One of them was Aap Kaun which centers on the plight of senior citizens today in our society and has been directed by the late writer Rajiv Agarwal’s son Akira Agarwal. I also produced a short film called Falsafa which has been directed by Jack.

Are you waiting for the approval of a pilot serial of yourself from Doordarshan? Tell me about the serial and the actors who you have cast in the serial!

Yes. I have already sent the pilot to Doordarshan and am waiting for the approval for my serial. It stars Sanjay Mishra, Liliput etc.

You have produced short films and now you are producing a TV serial for Doordarshan. You are also planning to produce a feature film. Are you also planning in terms of producing web series?

I am ready for not only acting in web series but also producing them. Right now, I have cleared not just one or two rounds but four rounds of auditions including two with the director himself but also bagged a Netflix original film to be directed by an American Iranian director Mr Ramin Bahrani.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I think that I have just started as an actor as I had quit acting in between and wasted 15 years of my life, besides losing out on social life too. My eldest son is 20 years old, second son is 18 years old and my daughter is 16. My wife Ysha is a professional astrologer, numerologist, palmist, tarot card reader and Vastu Consultanmt based in Delhi itself. I do not want to restrict myself to any genre or role. I am game for any platform and any kind of role as an actor. I’d love to do lead roles but it is doubtful if I would land a lead role like say Gajraj Rao did in Badhai Ho.

Right now with the exception of Yeh Teri Galiyaan, do you have any TV serial or web series on hand as an actor?

Yes. Except the TV serial Yeh Teri Galiyaan, I do not have even a single TV serial on hand. I report for the shooting for my TV serial only as and when I am called to act in it, as my role is on and off in the serial. I have been signed for a web series called Class of 2019 for ALT Balaji to be produced by Vikas Gupta under the banner of his Lost Boy Production, the shooting of which would start by September or October.

For more Bollywood updates, follow Bollyy!

Tags: Bollywood, Bollywood News, Bollywood Updates, Television, Telly News, Rajesh Aggarwal