Bade Achhe Lagte Hain has made me more popular than ever : Ram Kapoor

Talented and seasoned actor Ram Kapoor has been in the entertainment industry for more than a decade now. He fought his way up to become one of the most successful actors in the TV industry today. His current show, Balaji Telefilms’ Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, is being loved by TV viewers, who can’t help raving about his fantastic and captivating chemistry with co-actor Sakshi Tanwar. Apart from television, the actor has weaved magic with his acting prowess on celluloid as well. After Udaan, he is all set to throw in some powerful performances in many of his upcoming movies. In an exclusive t?te-?-t?te with Tellychakkar.com, Ram Kapoor talks about Bade Achhe, his professional life, movies, family, and lot more. Excerpts: Your show Bade Achhe… is doing wonders. What according to you is the USP of the show? There is no single factor behind the success of this daily. Or else, everyone would churn out one successful show after another. Instead, there are many USP’s of the show. The concept of the show is unique. Viewers are watching a mature love story for the very first time. Secondly, Ekta Kapoor has put in great efforts to put up the best team for BALH. She tried to get the show in place for the last two years. She kept chasing Sakshi and me. Earlier things did not work out, but fortunately everything fell into place this time around. Thirdly, the effective marketing campaigns and the PR moves. The promos created waves in the market and managed to gain viewers’ attention. Lastly, I think it is my chemistry with Sakshi. We are working very hard and luckily, that shows onscreen. I believe these are the factors that get this show ticking. Bade Achhe… recently had a sequence in Sydney, Australia. How was the experience of shooting there? Oh, fascinating. It’s a beautiful country. I had never been there earlier though I did plan an Australian holiday once, but ended up going to USA. I had a ball shooting there. We were there for eight days. The best part was that there are many Indians in Australia. Shooting in India and getting mobbed, is not a new thing. But people coming up to you and appreciating your work in a place like Australia, is certainly overwhelming. Many fans came and spoke to Sakshi and me in Sydney. This actually shows the impact and reach of Indian television. Do you think the show has put you on a new pedestal when it comes to popularity? Absolutely. In fact, I am yet to come to terms with this sudden popularity and love that I have received because of BALH. In fact, it proved my past belief wrong. When I became famous as Jai Walia in Kasamh Se, I thought that was the best phase of my life and I would never reach such degree of popularity ever in my life. But with the response that I have been receiving, I have surpassed even Jai Walia’s popularity. I am amazed and overwhelmed at the same time. I have been in the industry for more than 12 years now. I know how difficult it is to make it as an actor. So I cherish the moment and yes I would like to say that this show is really special to me. Do you watch this show yourself? Though there is nothing superstitious about it, but I don’t watch any of my work as I tend to criticize myself a lot. I keep thinking, yaar, ye behtaar ho sakta tha. But yes, my family members watch it, and they give me feedback on my performance. And I think I will continue with this practice (laughs). What about films? After Udaan, people recognized my work. I started receiving calls from the right kind of people in the film industry. I acted in Farhan Akhtar’s Karthik Calling Karthik. In the future, fans can see me in playing a comic character, Mr Bulani, in Karan Johar’s Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu. And apart from this, I am playing the lead’s father in Karan Johar’s Student of The Year and will create lot of problems for my son. Both the movies are scheduled to release next year. Fair enough. TV industry keeps you busy. How do you unwind? Yes, it keeps me busy like hell. I am working close to twelve to fourteen hours per day. But when I reach home, my fatigue vanishes. My kids Sia (5) and Aks (2) pounce on me the moment I open the door. And I become a child in their company. Though I have this image of a serious actor, if someone sees me with the kids, unko to heart attack hi ho jayega. My kids are my stress busters. What about your wife Gautami? Well, I think I have made the best decision in choosing my life partner. She is also from the industry and understands the nature of job perfectly. She knows that I have to work for long hours. I am blessed to have her in my life. At times I certainly miss being with them and wish that I could spend more time with my family. There is one complaint against you. You don’t interact with the media much? What’s the reason? I agree on that. I am very uncomfortable with the media. The thing of interacting with the media doesn’t come to me naturally. Furthermore, after a hectic day at work, I prefer getting back home as soon as possible. I believe that my work should do all the talking rather than me blabbering about it. Finally, where do you see yourself in the next five years? Ahhh… that’s a tricky one. Well, let me think. See, I know that TV is always there for me and I can always fall back on it. So, when it comes to movies, I don’t choose anything and everything. In the next five years, I want to be known as one of the finest dependable character actors in the country, like Boman Irani or Irfaan Khan. Whatever roles come to my way, I will do it with credibility and uniqueness. This is my ultimate goal for the time being (laughs).