Ankit Arora, who is playing the main villain in Life OK’s Chandrakanta, is quite happy with the journey so far.
In a chat with Indianwikimedia he shares, “I have got to enact some great scenes. I prefer this historical/mytho/ fantasy space (Ramayan, Razia Sultan) etc for it gives the male actor something to do, which is not the case with daily soaps (Beend Banoongaa Ghodi Chadhunga and Ek Ghar Banaunga etc). Here besides acting I also get a chance to show case my other abilities .i.e. stunts, horse riding and sword fighting etc). Last but not the least it also gives you great grasp over the Hindi language as well.”
Talking about his prep for the role this singer turned actor says, “I beefed up my body up a bit and added a lot of attitude for it was needed to justify my crafty evil character Crown Prince Shivdutt. I always make it a point to work on my looks for e.g. when I played an important character in my last show Chakravartin
Ashoka Samrat. I made note of certain mannerisms of the child actor who was playing him before me, so that the audiences get a feeling of continuity. ”
Ankit also has no qualms in playing one more negative role (negative in
Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and Razia Sultan as well. “Let’s face it , I have been typecast as one, so might as well make hay while the sun shines, and at the end of the day, I am actor, my job is to do the character given to me to the best of my ability. However, I make deliberate efforts to make my villainous stuff also appear hero like. Whether I am hitting or getting smashed, it should still look grand .Luckily today our bad guys were not like yesteryear’s negative lead paunchy actors complete with moustache etc. I also add comic touches and luckily the character graph allows me to display a sense of sharpness as well. Here I wish to add that doing mytho negative has another positive in the sense that each character is completely different from the other, so it does not restrict me as performer.”
However, he does admit that he still harbours a dream of playing the hero on screen with music supporting his actions.
In closing we ask what happened to his musical dreams which got him to Mumbai in the first place. He had run away from home at 16 years spending hungry nights. “Guess destiny had other plans. Someone suggested why you don’t try acting, you might even click there. Hence, I did Ramayan (NDTV Imagine character Laxman) and have not looked back since. I agree music has been left behind for the moment. It is said that if you leave music for a day it leaves you for a year. For the moment, don’t have time for riyaaz. But one day, I hope to do something big on the music scene.”
Amen to that…Ankit!!!