After making girls swoon over his character Prem in “Kis Desh Mein Hai Mera Dil”, Harshad Chopra is back with the Balaji team for its latest production “Tere Liye” on Star Plus. Starting his career with “Left Right Left”, Harshad was also noticed for his role in “Amber Dhara” but the series was taken off air midway. As is mostly the case on television, things turned around for the young actor when Ekta Kapoor took him under her wing. The much talked about love story, “Tere Liye”, has Harshad and Anupriya Kapoor in the lead roles of Anuraag and Tani. The serial starts June 14.
Excerpts from an interview with Harshad:
How is Anurag different from Prem?
Prem knew everything about love, and what sacrifices and devotion the feeling demands. “Tere Liye” tracks the entire life span of Anurag. So you will get to see how Anurag is introduced to love, understands the feelings, makes mistakes in love and then redeems himself. You can say it is much more fleshed out.
Kolkata is a novel destination for a Hindi television serial
Indeed. My producer felt that Kolkata is the only metro city where you can still feel the old world romance. She is right. I can literally feel love in the air in the city. Right now the childhood track is being shot in the city. I am waiting for my part to begin.
It is being said that you are the new blue-eyed boy of Ekta Kapoor…
I can't be the blue-eyed boy of anybody. The colour of my eyes is brown! I don't know if I was the first choice for the role, but I am glad that I am her final choice for the role.
Could one say It seems Ekta is trying to build a Mihir and Sujal kind of aura around you?
The Mihir and Sujal kind of following can never be repeated. They became popular when daily soaps were a new commodity on television. Now everything Anurag does will be compared with what Mihir and Sujal had done.
Is television too taxing for young actors as by in some sense misusing misuses their desperation to get noticed?
It depends on the individual. When a series becomes successful the media focus mostly shifts to the young actor. So the producer doesn't get any extra mileage. But after a point the actor becomes unaffordable for the producer so the two part ways. Perhaps that is why there is always a demand for newcomers in dailies. Senior actors will keep on coming for special appearances.
Then it depends on how you plan. After I worked non-stop for four-and-a-half years, I felt I needed a break. I didn't take a new offer for four months and now I am back to work refreshed. I don't accept reality shows, though they are less taxing and a means to make quick money, because I don't relate with them.
