Talented actor Kinshuk Mahajan charms one and all with his stunning looks and innocent charm. After playing the lead in nearly seven-eight TV shows, the actor has very well grown as an actor!!
Having done more of the drama series, Kinshuk now plays an Icchadhari naag in Naagin 2 (Colors), and finds himself in the elite group of actors who have made it big by playing supernatural and magical characters on TV today.
Kinshuk who is straight-forward in his thought process talks about his journey as an actor, his experiences, both good and bad!!
In an exclusive conversation with Tellychakkar.com, Kinshuk goes all out...
How thrilling or different is it to play a naag?
It’s really fun shooting. I have not done these kinds of shows earlier. I was earlier afraid of taking up these kinds of shows. But let’s accept it, firstly Naagin is a hit show and people like it. Secondly, this show is way different when compared to a normal daily soap. It’s a biweekly show, so we get to discuss our scenes and then shoot for it. Also, donning a magical character is real fun. The visual effects of the show are simply breath-taking. So I am thoroughly enjoying my stint as the naag in Naagin. My role has different looks, so all’s going very well.
What are your thoughts on the recent trend of supernatural avatars overpowering humane stories?
At the end of the day, my opinion does not matter. It’s the audience perception that matters and we follow that. People make shows for viewers to like. All is the game of numbers. And if people are enjoying it, it has to be taken in good stead.
Did you ever feel apprehensive of taking up this offer? What is your objective as you play it?
Firstly when I was offered the role, I was wondering more about the character. When I heard it is a positive character, that of an icchadhari naag, I calculated the pros and cons of me doing it. As I said, it is fun doing such roles. So I was excited about it. My character has all the elements, like action, romance and also the magical factor not prevalent in a daily soap. Above all, I have been a huge fan of Harry Potter, Vampire Diary etc. So indulging in a fantasy show has made me happier.
You have had a good body of work. But do you think that you are still to reach the peak of success?
Honestly, media has been of late misquoting me saying Kinshuk feels that he has got a second chance to showcase his talent with Naagin. I guess they are spicing up their write-up or column by adding this masala which I have not been saying. I refuse to accept that this is my second chance to gain success.
If you ask me about it, I will say that I have seen that level of success when I was doing Bidaai. I have seen the huge TRPs. As an actor, you need to prove yourself in terms of TRPs and I have done that. Audience swho have seen me in shows like Afsar Bitiya, Chand Chupa Baadal Mein, Bidaai etc, they have seen me grow as an actor. I don’t worry about TRPs now. Over the period of time, I have realized that as an actor, we cannot do much to get TRPs. One should be lucky too to succeed. I believe in working hard and leaving the rest to God. Luckily, I am part of Naagin which is the top-rated show. However, it is not possible that I always do shows that have great TRP. Audience is mature enough to understand what the TRP game is like and the manner in which it works.
How do you see the growth in you as an actor?
I think I have grown as an actor as well as a person. I have mellowed down as person. As an actor, I have grown with every show that I have done. I feel you should have the ability to do any kind of role with perfection. You have to find your own conviction to it. The character or show could be appealing to you, but at the end of the day, it might not appeal to the people seeing it. So the best for an actor to do is to work hard and play the given character to the best of abilities.
What are the kinds of roles you want to portray? Or is there a dream role for you?
See, if you would have asked me this question two or three years back, I would have said something about my dream role. But now, I will say that as an actor, I will want to explore myself. It’s all about enhancing the role given to you. I don’t mind doing negative roles; I don’t mind doing a positive guy or a lover boy. But when I select a show, I always visualise the narration given to me and will think in my mind as to how this character will grow. Always, the script and performance need to go hand in hand. An actor can enhance a script, but you cannot fight with a script. So I always think about all these minute details before selecting a character.
What’s your favourite pass time?
I love to play X box. I am a gamer. I like to watch movies, both parallel cinema as well as commercial cinema. I watch a lot of American, Korean films and TV shows. See, with whatever you see and hear you tend to learn. So everything that I do is a learning curve for me.
How’s life after marriage?
Wonderful!! Divya has been an excellent wife; she has always supported me in whatever way she can. She has taught me this lesson that don’t take youself too seriously. Go with the flow. 40 yrs down the line, people will not remember who Kinshuk Mahajan is. So it is very essential to be a good human being. It’s not that I was not before marriage. But she has given me a good balance in life, and has shown me the way to live both lives separately.
Are you looking towards extending your family?
Not now. But maybe soon!!
How easy or difficult is it for an actor to make a comeback to work with a new project once a show ends?
I would like to say that media is claiming that I have been back after a gap. But I feel that the duration of 6 months or a year does not matter. When you are sitting at home, you are working on yourself. I believe that if you are at home, you need to work on yourself, for your own self-improvement.
As for me, I was always busy. I was doing something or the other if not TV. My South film was happening and I was busy with the shoot. I also did Tum Aise Hi Rehna. So I don’t think there’s been a long gap in my case.
As an actor, how does one deal with a scenario of lack of work?
See, I have done seven-eight shows as lead. I have been part of so many shows, irrespective of whether the TRP was good or not. In between all this, I got lot of offers, and for some reason or the other, I did not end up doing them. There were few I declined, but the show went on to be huge hits. There have also been shows which I have declined, and were never made. So all is based on luck. In today’s era, it is very difficult to keep getting success. And we always have a tendency to keep comparing our past works, to what we are being offered. So I feel that we should forget all this. One should be able to control his / her ego. As an actor, we should forget our past and should start fresh. You should know well the trend in the market and go with the flow. Ultimately talent prevails is what we need to understand. We should remove the actors’ block from our minds. We are choosy in terms of role, in terms of channel, in terms of our pay package and always tend to compare our pay package to other actors. But we need to be sensible about it, and let destiny take its own course rather than standing as obstacle to the play of destiny. Drop the fear of losing as you will tend to lose out on opportunities. I am saying this because I have done this earlier and have gone through it.
Do you believe in building up an alternate career which will help you during your low phase as an actor?
Definitely, I feel it is a necessity. You have to consider yourself lucky if you are in demand for more than seven to eight years. It is a fact related to our line of work that one needs to have a lot of patience to get good work and success. If you ask me, I will say that all depends on luck. And then comes the hard work. Yes, an actor needs to surely have an alternate business. You should start working from day one on it.
I and Divya have something in mind. We will start working on it soon. Definitely, it is not a restaurant which most of the actors get into. Ours is more of an education oriented business. I will talk about it at the right time.
What are the ways in which an actor can gain confidence?
I feel that an actor can gain confidence once he is confident about his character. If you talk about the look and physique, you can go to the gym and work out and build your body. However, I feel that looking good is not a criteria for gaining work nowadays. Those days are gone. So the best will be to work on your acting skills to gain confidence.
How lucky or unlucky have you been in bagging the roles offered to you?
I don’t go by that. I have been very happy with my career graph. I am happy that I have done good shows, and that too at regular intervals. I have been without work for less time, is what I will say. So in that aspect, I will consider myself lucky.
Having said this, I said ‘no’ to many shows. But at the end of the day, you need to take whatever you see in front of you. The funda is to live in the present, and not let the future or the past dictate terms on you.
Has the selection process gotten sterner these days, with focus given a lot to acting? What are your thoughts?
I agree to this. Firstly, you have to be the character you need to play. Secondly, your performance level has to match up to the character. There are lots of criterias like money, which is a very important factor.
How do you very well describe Kinshuk Mahajan?
I am an honest human being. I am a hard working guy. I am an introvert to begin with, and you can say little laid back also. I understand that social media and doing PR is very important for an actor. Yes, I am learning and will take some time to learn. I am happy with whatever I have done. I am content with the people in my life also.
You have kept yourself away from linkup controversies even when you were a bachelor. How do you manage that?
(Laughs) Let me tell you, I have been honest to people. I and Divya have known each other from childhood. So we share a very different bond. By nature, I always love to stay away from controversies. I am a simple guy, and don’t want to put my head into lot any scary things. I fear controversies, is what I can say. So I keep away from them. I lead a simple life, and believe in working hard to earn.
Your co-star in Bidaai Parul Chauhan is making headlines by getting back to the Director’s Kut family with a very different role. Have you wished her or talked to her recently?
Yes, I have wished her on Facebook. I have been active on Facebook from few months. I did not want to call her as she must have been busy. So I dropped her a message on FB and wished her all the very best. She is a brilliant actor. I know that she will prove herself again.
Parul plays a mother to a grown-up guy. Would you ever risk playing an elderly dad at this stage in your life?
I don’t know. I have learnt in life to ‘never say no’. Rajan ji (Shahi) used to tell me always to remember not to say ‘No’ to whatever comes up in life. He always advised me to watch carefully as to what life has to offer to you and then decide. So I believe in deciding on anything only when the time arrives to make a decision. I am a very practical guy in a way, and will always weight the pros and cons to anything. If I feel I want to do the role for money, then why not?? My basic aim in life is to have a strong career option in life. My idea as of now is to earn money and invest the money earned in my business. So you never know what my mind might say at that particular time.
Your message to your fans…
My fans feel that I am not active on social media. I want to tell them that I have been really bad at PR. But I am learning to grow with the changing technology. It will take some time, but I will surely get there. Having said this, I genuinely read all their comments and have them in my mind. I love them a lot, and I respect their opinio
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