Sanjeev Seth who has had a career spanning around 25 years is a satisfied man after giving nearly 10 years to the most popular show, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, on Star Plus.
Produced by Rajan Shahi’s Director’s Kut, Yeh Rishta continues to entertain audiences and rake in big numbers.
For Sanjeev, his life would have been something different if he had not been part of the iconic show.
Yes, Sanjeev and actress Lata Sabharwal met each other on the sets of the show way back in 2004, and got married in the same year.
In an exclusive chat with IWMBuzz.com, Sanjeev Seth talks about his long journey with the show and on plans for the future.
Says Sanjeev, “My Yeh Rishta journey has been very good. I have spent 10 long years on one show, with the same people and production house. It has been a very sweet journey with good memories. It feels like working amidst family now.”
Talking about his character graph, Sanjeev states, “There were so many shades to portray in the given character of Vishambharnath Maheshwari. When it started, he was a possessive father to Akshara, and when she got married, the father in him also underwent changes. Later, there was the phase of being the grandfather, and with kids settling in life, the attitude of the character also changed. Yeh Rishta has had great sequences, and the best ones have been the festive ambience created on the show time and again. The dance and music gave us all the positivity. The show had every flavour except the fact that there was no negative character as such in it.”
Ask him whether he did not have moments in these 10 years when he wanted to do something new and he avers, “This is a huge show with a big cast. With so many characters around, one needs to wait for their turn and then grab it and perform at the best of their abilities when it comes. Yes, there have been moments when monotony has set in and I have had to think about future. However, everytime this used to happen, something big used to happen in the show and I would get involved in it automatically. To tell you in simple words, the show kept on evolving with time, and the characters too kept evolving with the changes. Even though monotonous moments came, it went away quickly. Yes, patience was the key and I am glad to have had this long 10 years journey.”
Sanjeev Seth, seems like has finally hung up his boots with respect to his character in Yeh Rishta.
“When new families kept coming in, I finally felt that there was nothing much for my character to do. So we amicably discussed about it, and I am on a break from Yeh Rishta. I took this decision few months back. It is not that we have broken ties and that the contract has been punctured. There’s nothing like that. But I am now at a liberty to pick up something new. At the same time, whenever I am required in Yeh Rishta, they will get me back. But if you ask me personally, I feel that my character has lived its life term in the show. I am now enjoying family time, something that I have not been able to do these 10 years. I am looking for new work.”
Talking about his fondest memories of Yeh Rishta, he avers, “My fondest has to be my marriage with Lata (smiles). If Yeh Rishta had not happened to us, we would never have got married. Our kid is now five years old, and the show is still on. People walk up to me on the street and say that they used to watch me during their childhood in Yeh Rishta. This is such a memorable show which has been going on for a long time. Apart from that, I have had great memories to cherish on the sets, with my co-actors and the people from the production.”
Ask him about future plans and he says, “I am being a little choosy right now. I want to play a negative shade after playing the goodie father for years. I actually started my career with Campus in 1992 where I played negative. I have also been part of the comedy show, Karishma Ka Karishma. I think I have got a flair for comedy too. So I am keeping my fingers crossed at the moment.”
Last but not the least, Sanjeev had a word of appreciation for the Captain of the Yeh Rishta ship, Rajan Shahi. “He is the sweetest Producer I have worked with. I have worked with many producers in my 25 years long career. To tell you, I have been with Rajan for one-third of my career (10 years). He is so humble even today, even while captaining the longest running show in the history of Indian TV. He is just one call away if you want to sit and talk with him. He is all ready to discuss anything under the sky. I wish him luck always.”
A very well summed up journey, Sanjeev!!
