What happens when a small-town boy with an earful of advice comes to a big town to study? The journey is not only about self-discovering but also about understanding how to push one’s boundaries and where to restrict oneself. Dehati Ladke helmed by Shine Pandey embarks on this journey as the lead actor and comes face to face with various comical, emotional, strategic decisions. As Season 2 of the OTT series releases today on Amazon Mini TV, we catch up with the actor on his role and more.
Tell us about your role in Dehati Ladke?
My character in the show goes by the name ‘Rajat’ who is layered with many emotions. Tapping into the inner thoughts of this character was kind of challenging for me. This shows how different my personality is from Rajat. When one watches the show, one eventually realises the layered emotions and roller-coaster thoughts that Rajat has in his mind while relocating from a small town to Lucknow.
How does the narrative progress in Season 2?
Season 2 is something that I’m looking forward to as there is a huge arc in Rajat’s character which was interesting for me to play.
How did you bag the role?
I had gotten a call for this and they were keen on auditioning me for Rajat’s character. So, I went for the audition and was locked the next day.
How was it working with Kusha Kapila?
It was wonderful working with Kusha! She is hardworking and has always been there as a co-actor. I felt there was a great understanding between us and she was always open to all possibilities, which is a great quality to have. I was really happy and excited when I got to know that Kusha would be playing Chaya Ji. I’m just glad that people love the equation between Rajat and Chaya.
Does OTT challenge you to better your creative aspect?
Yes OTT challenges me to be a better version of myself. The kind of movies and shows that have been coming out lately is just inspiring. Some wonderful actors are giving some great performances. So, just watching them do it is a great motivation for me as an artist to grow more and be creative.
When not working, what can we see you doing?
I enjoy my time when I’m not working. I just love doing my basic housework like cleaning, cooking, going for walks, reading, or just simply sitting ideally. Every day I practice being as present as I can be and simply living every moment. I feel this part of my time when I have no work is when I grow the most; I prepare myself to be a better version of tomorrow.
How do you keep yourself fit?
I think being fit is my top priority. Not just physically but also mentally. To stay fit there’s a whole lot of time I put into and now that has become my lifestyle. I start my day with lots of water and then yoga and meditation. I don’t like having junk or any kind of unhealthy stuff even though I’m a big foodie. If I fail I don’t go too hard on myself. Then I love solving sudoku to keep my brain active, read to keep myself calm, and end the day with another workout.