Actor Sidharth Vasudev is back to entertain his fan base with yet another negative avatar in Udti Ka Naam Rajjo. What makes his character of Pushkar special is the way it has been etched. A man with a dark past, very ambitious, Pushkar can do anything to have his way.
Sidharth is playing Pushkar perfectly well in Udti Ka Naam Rajjo, and this prompted us at IWMBuzz.com to get in touch with the man to know more on the role.
Excerpts:
How is it to play a character like Pushkar?
Pushkar is someone who is highly motivated by his principles, and it helps me get a better view of how he would like things to be done. I am very interested in bringing life to the character with as much detail as possible, since ‘Pushkar’ always has something on his mind. It is also very important to me because I get to know more about the character and his different sides which the audience will come to know as the story progresses.
What is the attribute in him that challenges the actor in you?
I have played a lot of negative and evil characters now. I feel like I have Pandora’s box inside me, and it is very useful. It opens up the moment I hear action. But sometimes there may be a few scenes that can be challenging. My real challenge was to adjust to the new format of television. Now everything is fast-paced, the story, the scenes and the dialogue delivery. And I am doing a social show after a very very long time as I was mostly doing costume dramas. So, it took some time to adjust to that pace. So, I am glad that I overcame this challenge.”
Your look is great, giving the man an aristocratic look. What have you to say of this?
I am glad you liked the look. Thank you. Actually, everyone who saw the show liked my look. As I said, I was mostly working in costume dramas where I had to wear huge wigs, coloured lenses, body paint, heavy jewellery and heavy furry clothes, that too in summer. So, I was really looking to take a break from that and do a normal show where I can wear normal clothes, and normal shoes, and look the way I actually look. Mukta Dhond was very clear from the beginning regarding Pushkar’s look. And our stylist executed Mukta’s vision so well. So, the credit goes to both of them. I just hope I am carrying it well and up to their expectations.
How do you visualize your character of Pushkar?
Pushkar is a self-made man. He achieves his goals by any means possible. He is a very powerful cunning man who manipulates and can change his colours like a chameleon. He knows when to show his power and when to use his brain. Having said that, I want to add that I believe that in television shows it takes some time to understand your character. With each new episode, I come to know more about Pushkar. Even I am intrigued to know what he will do next or to what extent will he go to fulfil his goals.
Tell us about the shoot ambience and your rapport with co-ctors.
As Pushkar, the most challenging part was to shoot with Rajjo or Celesti Bairaagey. I’m really fond of her. She is a little doll, so innocent that I used to find it very difficult to say or do mean things to her character. But now we crack a joke and laugh it up before the scenes. I find myself lucky to be a part of this wonderful team. The shoot happens quite smoothly. I find the vibes of the set very positive. We have a wonderful, calm and patient director who knows exactly what he wants. The cinematography is amazing. Infact the whole unit is a pleasure to work with. We have a big cast in the show. All of them are very warm, hard-working and very good actors. Well I am an introvert, so it takes time for me to open up. But here it was quick. I didn’t expect myself to gel with them so soon. The only time when I prefer to stay away from them is when they are having lunch. Most of them are super foodies. And I am on a diet. So I don’t want to get into that zone because I have myself been a foodie. So I just disappear when they are having those delicious meals as I don’t want to succumb to my temptation. They really are special to me now.
You have always been choosy in selecting your roles. How did Pushkar happen?
I don’t think I have been choosy. But I do make sure that the role is strong and I get to perform as an actor. The length or screen time of the character is secondary.
I got a call from the casting director. Have known him for many years, and I always knew that he will only call me if it was the kind of role that I would love to do. So, to lure me the first thing he said was that the set is very near to my house. Then he told me it’s a Star Plus show and Mukta Dhond is making it. He even gave me a reference for a very famous character so that I understand the importance of the role. So, I had every reason to say yes. And that’s how Pushkar happened.
How has the response been so far for the role?
The response has been very positive. The audience loves me in an intense role, and ‘Pushkar’ is definitely a role that was tailored for me. It’s made me want to explore my role a lot more than ever, and it keeps me motivated to be in sync with my character, so that the audience gets the best of both me and ‘Pushkar;.
A fact to be noted here is that all fiction shows on Star Plus will now air seven days a week.
