"I intend entering active politics when I turn 42"

Aashish Kaul - Son of a cabinet minister, and now Komolika's latest onscreen husband. You have known him as Kshitij's father in Kkusum and now as Subroto Basu in Kasautii Zindagi Kay. But there's more to Aashish Kaul. Much more. The guy has kept a deliberate low profile in Tellywood, despite having played key roles in Ghutan and Kahanii Ghar Ghar Ki on Star and Saathiya on Sahara. In an exclusive chat, he bares his heart, political connections and future plans to Prashant Golecha. I, me, myself I am an extrovert by nature. I am very sensitive, yet not emotional. I am a UP-ite from Ghaziabad, born in Lucknow. I studied at the Lawrence school in Shimla where Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bedi also studied. On his acting career I started modelling in Delhi. My pictures got published in one of the Mumbai magazines. Achla Nagar showed my picture to J. Om Prakash, who happens to be Hrithik Roshan's nana. I was called and selected, and did a film titled Afsana Dil Walo Ka in 1995 that got telecast exclusively on Zee Cinema. Then I started doing television. On Kkusum I started off playing a second lead, Aryaman in Kkusum who was Kkusum's and Abhay's best friend. The character of my wife in Kkusum got replaced three times! Initially, it was Karishma Randhava, then Mayuri Kango, then Shalinee Kapoor and now its Mandeep. On being Komolika's husband in Kassauti Zindagi Kay After the 20-year jump, I replaced Vishal Puri who was playing Cezanne's younger cousin Subroto. Initially, my character had negative shades because of Komolika. Now my track has turned positive. I am Komalika's husband and we are living in the same house but don't share a bedroom. We are as good as husband and wife on paper and we are tolerating each other because we are shareholders in the business. On co-star Cezanne Khan Cezanne is a professional guy. We have no business to know or talk about his bedroom stories or whatever he does off-screen or behind the scenes. Relationship with Balaji Telefilms I was working in Cinevistaas' Sanskriti with Chanani Toor. Ekta took my number from her and I got the role of Aryaman in Kkusum without any screen test. I have met Ekta Kapoor only twice till today. In Kahanii Ghar Ghar Kii I had played Om's cousin Rohan who rapes a blind girl. After the 20 year leap I was brought back from jail and later killed off! I am happy doing Kkusum and Kasautii… On his personal life I had an arranged alliance with Geetanjali. Post engagement, I fell in love with her, and today, my wife's my best friend too. I have two kids - five year old Vivan and one year old Anika. Me and politics My grandmother Sheela Kaul was a minister in Central Government in Delhi. My mother Deepa Kaul was a cabinet minister from Rai Bareilly, (currently Sonia Gandhi's constituency). I work for my mother's constituency Sultanpur in U.P. and I intend entering active politics when I turn 42. Relationship with the Gandhi family Kamla Nehru was my mother's 'bua' (aunt). I was friends with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi during college days 10 years ago. I haven't met them since a long time. I meet them only during elections now. Take on TV industry TV is growing very fast. All the movie stars are trying to enter television. Unlike films, TV provides longer innings- a longer career. TV industry has saved more than half the strugglers in the country and we should respect that and not criticise or degrade it. Philosophy of life You are never too rich and you are never too smart, no matter how much you earn or how much you try to look good. Be happy with whatever you have.