“It was Gufiji who played the role of Shakuni Mama in Mahabharat who introduced me to B.R. Choprasaab” By Team Bollyy 26 May 2020 | Updated On 26 May 2020 10:32 IST in Latest Trending News & Gossip New Update SAGAR SALUNKE, whio plays the role of Balram in Mahabharat tells JYOTHI VENKATESH in this interview by e mail Jyothi Venkatesh How did a police officer end up as an actor in Mahabharat? My native place is Murtizapur Distt Akola near Amaravati. Maharashtra. My father was a teacher. MA in English and Hindi Visharad Ratna and also he was also a freedom fighter. I was very fond of acting, dancing and singing. In my college days I used to participate in many Marathi dramas... After my graduation i wanted to go to Film Institute Pune but my parents did not give me moral support and I joined Maharashtra Police force as PSI. After my training I was posted at Santacruz Police Station. Go on! When I was attached to DN Nagar Police station, I attended the marriage party of my friend, where I sang a ghazal, which was immensely liked by a guy who came to me praised me for my mellifluous voice and introduced himself to me as Gufi Paintal. Gufiji took me to the office of B.R. Chopra and introduced me to both B R Chopra and Ravi Chopra. Choprasaab asked Gufiji to take my screen test. Gufiji took my screen test at Filmalaya Studios and liked my audition.I was selected for the role of Bheem when the mahurat of Mahabharat was held at Natraj Studios. How did you get the role of Balram instead of Bheem? I was called to the office of Choprasaab but was told that I was too dashing to be Bheem because they felt that I was not as bulky as Bheem but dashing. After a few days, I was called to the office and offered the role of Lord Krishna’s brother Balram, Raviji welcomed me as Welcome Balram and told me that I was doing Balram's role and the very next day, the shoot of me and Nitish Bharadwaj who played Lord Krishna started Why did you opt for a job as a cop and did not pursue acting as a career? IO was actually planning to quit my day to day job as a cop but my seniors as well as colleagues encouraged me to continue with my artistic endeavor and advised me not to quit my job but continue to do it on the side. I also thought that work in the industry was not guaranteed and the line was very uncertain and hence I decided to continue my work as well as act. In how many Marathi or Hindi films have you acted till date? I proved myself as an actor in the Hindi film industry an continued to act in several films. I was appreciated and offers continued to pour in but I do not know will date why the Marathi film industry has not offered to give me even one single film till date. I am very sad about this. As I am very keen on to work in not only Marathi films but also television. I am a Maharashtrian and my mother tongue is Marathi. And many top Marathi actors and directors are not only my friends but also know me very well. Well, I cannot help it. It is their wish. My image does not suit a Hindi film star though I have acted in as many as 15 to 20 Hindi films. And Abhay Sinha’s Bhojpuri film Pyar Jhukta Nahin as the main villain. I had also bagged the award for the Best Villain in that film. I have also acted in 15 to 20 TV serials as an actor. Which are the films in which you have worked till date? I have till date, worked in many films like Ganga Jamuna Saraswati with Amitabhji, Gair Kanooni with Govinda and Sridevi, Vimal Kumar's Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni, Kaali Shankar, Vijay, BR Chopra's Kal Ki Awaaz Prakash Mehra's Zindagi Ek Juwaa in which I played the main villain and " Garv" with Salman Khan in which I played an important role. I also actedf with Sunny Deol in Anil Sharma's Singh Saab The Great Which are the TV shows in which you have worked till date? I worked in BR Chopra's TV serial Bahadur Shah Zafar with Ashok Kumar. I played a Muslim character Gaus khan in it. Then I worked BR Chopras' Sauda, Aurat, Dushman and worked in Vishnu Puran also as a sage. Apart from this I have also worked in other TV shows like Zee Horror show, Puneet Issar's Hindustani, Jay Matadi ,Sunil Agnihotri's Yug, Betaal Pachisi etc . You played Nitish Bharadwaj's brother in Mahabharat. How much chemistry was there between both of you? I had played the role of Balram in the serial Mahabharat while Nitish Bharadwaj had essayed the role of Lord Krishna in it with aplomb. He is a wonderful artiste and his proficiency over Hindi as well as Sanskrit is unquestionable. Our chemistry in Mahabharat was brilliant and especially the scenes between Krishna and Baltram, have been liked by people. Nitish Bhardwaj is a very good friend of mine. I am really thankful to him because he spoke about me very well in a radio interview a few days back. You were seen less in the show than Nitish Bharadwaj. Is it because you were busy with your job as a cop? It was not like that. Lord Krishna was the main part of Mahabahrat while Balram was not and hence B.R. Choprasaab focused more on the character of Lord Krishna as he was the whole and soul of Mahabharat. His contribution extended from Draupadi Vastraharan, Geetopadesh till Mahayuddh. Why? Take the character of Karna. Though his was also a important role, and Yayati and several novels have been written on him, he was also shown only to a limited extent in the serial. In which police station were you posted and as what? My first posting was as a PSI at Santacruz Police Station in Mumbai. Then I was shifted to DN Nagar Police station, after which I was transferred to Special branch of CID Immigration, Airport security, Crime Branch and various Police stations. I worked as Sr.PI.at Kasar Wadavli Police Station, Thane. And then I was promoted as Assistant Commissioner of Police and posted at Santa Cruz Division. How were B R Chopra and Ravi Chopra as directors? Shri B.R.Choprasahab and Shri Ravi Chopra both were fantastic directors and very nice human beings. Both loved me a lot and encouraged me in my work. The entire world knows me that B R Chopra was conferred with the prestigious award of Dadasaheb Phalke. Is it true that you could not take up negative roles in films on TV though you were offered, because the image of Balram was heavy? No. It is not true. I played negative roles in many TV Shows and films... In the film "Zindagi Ek Juwa" I was the main Villain. Basically I am an artiste and would love to play different kinds of roles both positive as well as negative and would not like to be typecast with one particular image at all. If you are considered for roles in TV serials like Saavdhaan India or Crime Patrol, will you be ready? Sure. If I do get opportunity for prominent roles in serials like Saavdhan India or Crime Patrol, I will be more than happy. What was your role in the short film Kavi directed by Gregg Helvey in which you played the title role? I have never worked in a film like "Kavi" and do not know how this information was spread. Is it true that Prakash Mehra was slated to launch you in his film Sadhi Sant which was shelved unfortunately? Yes. It is true that the late Shri Prakash Mehrasahab wanted to launch me in his film Sadhu Sant. Prakash Mehra had actually announced in an advertisement in Screen as well as other film trade papers about this and even had a mahurat of the film at Natraj Studios. Prakashji had then introduced me to Amitabh Bachchanji and taken the mahurat shot on Amitabh Bachchan, Amrita Singh and me, and after the mahurat shot, Amitji embraced me, and offered me his blessings. It was like an award for me. The very next day, Mid-Day carried the news that One real Cop faced the camera with Amitabh Bachhan on the sets of Prakash Mehra's "Sadhu Sant". Unfortunately, I do not know why the film was shelved but Prakashji offered me the role of the villain in his next film Zindagi Ek Juwa. Not only were the songs of the film big huts but the film also had turned out to be a big hit. Do you think that you have not been exploited suitably as an actor by the industry? That I really do not know at all, because this film industry is very uncertain and everything depends on your destiny What are your current projects as an actor? Right now, I am not part of any project at all but I am waiting for being part of good and meaty projects, whether they are films or TV serials or for that matter web series. Related Articles Latest Stories Read the Next Article