ZEE TV’s latest prime time offering Sethji launched a week ago and the 20-year old actor Avinash Kumar, who plays the male lead Bajirao is already winning accolades for his performance. Avinash hails from a small town Raipur and like any other budding actor, had been giving auditions for television shows and advertisements. It was last year that he was shortlisted for the character of Baji and he was thrilled to have bagged the lead role right at the beginning of his career. However, he found out later that the producer of the show Divya Ratna Dixit, who is also the youngest producer in the fraternity had travelled across the length and breadth of the country conducting auditions for his role. Avinash was chosen over 8000 other contenders who had auditioned for the role. The producer was in search for a guy who is young, has a good muscular built but an innocent, positive face. Though a very rare combination, the extensive search came to an end when after 8000 auditioners, Avinash walked in and the team instantly felt he was an ideal fit for the role of Sethji’s son Baji.
The talented young actor Avinash Kumar shares, “My character Baji is a young 20 year old pehelwan but with an adorable, innocent face, so the kind of physical attributes required were a little different from the usual. I had just moved to Mumbai last year in July when I got to know about the auditions. I went there hoping to fit the bill and after just one round of auditions and another two look tests, I was selected for the role. I was ecstatic to have bagged the lead in a show on ZEE TV. It was a dream come true. Honestly, it was much later that I got to know that around 8000 people had auditioned for the same character, and I am glad I didn’t know this when I auditioned. It would have got me jittery and nervous. I believe that big dreams do come true no matter where you are from or how small your beginnings. Being from Raipur, the kind of opportunities and platforms that were available to us were limited but people who do not give up on pursuing their dreams finally succeed.’’
Baaji Rao is the third son of Sethji and is an enthusiastic and emotional boy. He is a wrestler and has never been exposed to the outer world beyond their village Devsu, that is untouched by technology and modernization. In a turn of events, he falls in love with a modern, city girl Pragati (played by actor Rumman Ahmed) who enters the village riding on a mission. Unfortunately, the people of Devsu spot the outsider and she is immediately reported to Sethji. Despite being asked to leave the village at once, Baji will be happy to see Pragati return and will take her to the hideout. On the other hand, Devi (played by Prachi Thakker) will sneak out from the haveli for a meeting with Bhaurao, her brother-in-law in the forest area but Pragati will spot her and follow her. Will Pragati be a saviour for Devsu again? Will Pragati be a path-breaker for the villagers? To find out…
Watch Sethji, from 17th April every Monday to Friday at 7PM only on ZEE TV!