I HAVE HAD A CRUSH ON DEEPIKA PADUKONE FOR A LONG TIME - Himanshu Malhotra

In this exclusive telephonic interview actor Himanshu Ashok Malhotra who is playing a magician in the ongoing TV serial Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble which is on air on Dangal TV tells JYOTHI VENKATESH  that he comsiders that more than media attention, it is the work of an actor that is more important

What is your role in Nikki aur Jadui Bubble?

Im play the role of Shiv, who is a magician, he is a wonderful, good, warm and affectionate person. He is always doing well for people and wants to protect the world as he thinks that magic should be used for good and benefit the world. A five year old child Nikki is playing my daughter. She is small sweet and cute and fun to work with. The story revolves around the father- daughter relationship and magic as well. The father teaches the kids magic and how the kids take the magic forward in life.

Are you playing a magician with positive shades?

I'm playing a good nice boy, a good nice affectionate father who teaches kids magic. But then the whole show revolves around kids, as it's a magic show the kids always attract the audience very well.

Is there drama in the show?

Any fiction show has drama, because without drama a fiction show story won't really work. Any kind of fiction story is exaggerated with too much drama, as it also catches the eyeball of the audience as people are fascinated by drama.

Go on!

I have never ever played the role of a magician like this before. I wanted to learn and explore how we can shoot this. Most of the time we shot on green screen where everything is on imagination. I also wanted to check how I can perform and we need to pretend about things being in front of you. I wanted to see what kind of VFX is being used and how the green screen techniques are used. It was quite fascinating to learn about this.

Did you try to learn magic as a part of this or the workshop?

No I did not learn any kind of magic. I did go through some of the videos and tricks that the magicians use. If you get too much into the skills you forget the acting part of it. That's what I felt I shouldn't. We need to know everything what's there basically for our knowledge.  The only thing the magician is charismatic is that he is effortless. So I wanted to gain momentum on that.

Was there any magician on set to guide you?

No there wasn't anyone.

Was this difficult than any other fictional role?

This was based entirely on imagination, the technical aspects gets very tricky and complicated as there is no one in front of you. You’re the only one creating images and the imagination in front of you through guidance of VFX.

Was there any other known actor on the set, and was it a big pressure on your part?

I don't take such pressure to be very honest, I do my performance and give my best and the rest I leave to the audience, to take up. I have done television shows and as an artist what you do is definitely looked at. I enjoy my work a lot.

How many TV serials have you be part of?

16-17. I think Nikki Aur Jadui is my 17th show.

What are your best serials according to you?

The first one was where I was playing this character called Guddu Shukla in Bhagonwali Baante Apni Taqdeer, on Zee it was someone who is extremely tough and hard on the outside. The Language of Kannoj, the entire character was very complicated. I got a handful number of awards for this. Got quite a good appreciation for this. Another show which was contrastingly opposite was called Airlines.   Then there was Ashok on Star Plus. The show had a double role. I was playing a terrorist and Siddharth Malya in a double role. The 3rd one was a show from Yashraj which was called 7 (Seven) which was a remake of X-men and Heros. That was i think the grandest experience of shooting apart from the film that i shot for Dharma recently. I think nothing in life was as grand as shooting a show for Yashraj. we shot 26 episodes in 220 days, though ideally in television we shoot 26 episodes in 26 days. 1 day an episode or 1 and half day an episode but for Yashraj 220 days, shooting on double red camera set up. this was for Sony . I was paid very little. but then I think the experience was very very enriching. I think it was one of the very very good experiences. There was another show on Sony itself, called Love Marriage and Arranged Marriage. Again a very interesting concept, I think written by kamal sachdev, who had written screenplay for Rang De Basanti. Again a very interesting concept, whether people should go for love marriage or arranged marriage. So the concept had an elder brother who opts for an arranged marriage and the younger brother who has a love marriage and how the complications happen and how people are usually confused about whether to go for an arranged marriage or a love marriage. So the show portrayed pros and cons of both.

However in real life, you went in for a love marriage! 

Though I went in for arranged marriage in the show, in real life I had love marriage. My wife Amruta Khanvilkar and I have completed 17 years of relationship. 11 years relationship and 6 years of marriage. So i am eternally optimistic in love all the time. And another non fiction show i would say is Nach Baliye. Being the winner of a dance reality is something because dance is something I and my wife love completely. I think totally are rated top most. Amazing memories of life, dancing in front of top notch judges and top notch film directors and people who are celebrities who used to keep coming.

Any more?

There was this one more show on Channel V Next at one point of time. In fact there was a better show called Champ which was on Bindass cricket channel, a few years ago on UTV. This whole show was on biking. So they predominantly would shoot all the bikes while we were riding them in Chandigarh. Again a very interesting and a different show. The show was very college oriented and youth oriented, bike, stunt, action oriented show. It is also one of my favourites.

In Nach Baliye you and Amruta were the winners. Who is the better dancer?

To answer it correctly, Amruta is the better dancer. but what I heard from the choreographers is that Amrita is a fantastic dancer while Himanshoo is a fantastic performer. Though this is what the choreographers say, clearly and definitely she is a better dancer than me.

Is this because women have inbuilt biased towards dancing ?

Yes. Also Amruta has grace and she understands music, rhythm, about the beats very well. Definitely more than me and it comes from her mother. Her mother is a fantastic dancer and that’s why I think she too is. Her mother learnt dancing in her early teens I think this came to Amruta's DNA as well. And she understands music at the flick of her fingers.

How many films have you done?

I have done only two films till date. They are Wajah Tum Ho, Hum Chaar. My third film Shershaah is awaiting release and has been produced by Karan Johar and directed by Vishnuvardhan. It is a film which sets out to trace the life of Paramveer Chakra awardee the army captain Vikram Batra played by Sidharth Malhotra while I play Rajeev in the biopic.

Though you began in films, why compared to TV there are only 3 films in your kitty?

I have spent 10-12 years in the television field. From 2007 till 2016, I was doing back to back shows including Nach Baliye and Khatron Ke Khiladi. After that, I took a break. When I was offered my first film I decided to cut down on television. Television works in a loop, you are on sets every day and don't get much time to experiment or try something else. You need time for films.

After how many years are you back on television?

I had shot on a TV show in 2019 but due to Covid 19 we have to stop shootings in.

You have worked in many serials and a couple of movies but you are one actor who has not been overexposed in the sense that people don't remember you instantly, there is a mystery. How did you manage this?

I had learnt from director Raj Sippy Sir who had directed me for the first time in a film called Mr Khujli which was not released at all, that 'Sar neeche rakhke kaam karo' (keep your head down and do your work). I don't get too involved in things and by my DNA I am not an attention seeker. I don't create the need for media attention all the time. I think it's the simplicity of work. When your show becomes a hit, you directly get media attention but if it doesn't you should keep quiet and let the work speak for itself. I have always believed that your work is more important.

Who are your favourite film actors and actresses?

I don't have anyone favourite actor but I admire Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan. I feel Hrithik Roshan is a fantastic actor and currently I enjoy Rajkumar Rao's performances. I really like Deepika Padukone. I sort of had a crush on her since a very long time. Other than her, I like Taapsee Pannu. I think she does some amazing work and is very fearless.  I am also very fond of Kriti Sanon, Bhumi Pednekar and Parineeti Chopra .

Name your favourite Actor on TV!

I have never thought of TV actors that way here as all are good friends. But I think Karanveer Grover is a good actor. He is very simple and really nice. As an actress I liked Suvreen Chawla but she is now in movies.

Have you been a part of a talk show on YouTube?

Yes, we keep doing talk shows. We have an organization called “Share and Grow” since 2016. We have done about 60-70 episodes. It isn’t monetized and is only to serve and help.

How do you keep yourself busy besides acting?

Share and Grow keeps me busy with talk shows, travelling, meeting people, etc. I also produced a movie in 2017 called Gul Guley with some big names of the industry like Manoj Bajpayee, Ranveer Shorey etc whih helped me explore my boundaries.

Why do you think your potentil as an actor has not yet been exploited to the hilt?

I honestly haven’t thought about it much. I feel when the time is right things will happen. And I think even if you do exploit your potential it doesn’t match the audience expectations. But I feel there is a lot of time in hand and I can match audience expectation soon.

You have tried your hand in acting, production, anchoring etc. Is there a director in you?

Yes, 100%. I would love to direct because I think I understand human emotions very well. So not sure when but when the doors open, I will be a director also.

What are the other projects you are busy with?

At the moment, I am working on a web series but things have stopped due to the lock down. It is work at the end but yes, I am careful of not crossing a certain line.

How do you rate your wife Amruta Khanvilkar as an actress?

I think 10 out of 10. She is a fabulous actress. I can even say that acting and dancing are a part of her DNA. With the numerous films and shows she has done, I have seen her work hard on her nuances and at the end comes out like an effortless actress. She is very spontaneous actress and that is what I love her about.