Actor Apurva Agnihotri is back with another show, highlighting the theme of women empowerment. He joins DNA India, discussing his character in Sehar Hone Ko Hai, why he moved from movies to television, is it difficult for him to go back to movies after spending decades in the small screen, and does like to see a second season of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin.
Q: What was the most exciting part of playing this character?
A: I think the most exciting part was the layers. He is a doctor, but he’s also a healer, and capturing the specific energy of a healer was extremely challenging-I still can’t say that I’ve fully achieved it. On top of that, he has so much going on in his personal life. He loves his daughter, but she isn’t happy with him; he doesn’t get along with his wife; and he loves his father, who is currently sick. Then there is the professional front where he wants to treat Mahit but is wounded himself, alongside a beautiful, mysterious link with Mahit’s character, Kausar. It’s a nice, multi-layered role with great intrigue value. He is on the surface, yet he isn’t, which makes the character pretty complex and very difficult to play.
Q: First Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, now Sehar, is it a coincidence or a conscious decision to be part of a show that speaks volumes about women empowerment?
A: Honestly, I had read one scene-and it was my scene-but I could make out that eventually, we were hinting toward empowerment, so yes, it was actually a conscious decision. Earlier in my career, there was a time when I never really bothered about the social message in cinema; I viewed it like fast food-watch it and forget it. But as I’ve aged and now that I have a daughter, I’ve realised that once you settle down, you want the work you do to try and convey a message. I’m very happy that the message here to all the women is to get up, go out there, and achieve it, and that we men should support them.
Q: How do you look at your career trajectory? You took a great start with Pardes, but then took a leap with Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. What inspired that decision?
A: For an actor, inspiration can’t get bigger than reading a great script. With me, I never had the mindset that I only wanted to be known as a film actor or a film star because good stuff is good stuff, whether you’re doing drama, films, OTT, or TV. When they approached me, the decision was pretty natural because I just knew that Jassi was a trendsetter. A lot of people still talk about it and remember the show, so it wasn’t very tough for me to opt for it.
Q: How difficult is it for an actor like you to transition from TV to movies?
A: For TV actors, it’s actually easier to do movies than TV. As I’ve always said, movies are like a cakewalk compared to television. Obviously, things have changed now, but earlier we used to only do half a scene a day in films, which was very easy. In television, however, you end up doing ten scenes in a day. For 12 hours, you’re constantly talking, thinking, planning, and mounting your scenes in your head. It is an onslaught of scenes. So, the transition from movies to TV shows is actually the tougher one.
I wouldn’t want Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin to be remade again – Apurva Agnihotri
Q: Has Apurva been approached for movies? Are you looking to balance between mediums?
A: I’ll be very honest; when this show was offered to me, I hadn’t signed a film, but I was supposed to do one. It was a cop drama set in a real space, and the shoot was supposed to start on the 23rd of January in Rajasthan. However, I couldn’t do both because the film required 30 to 35 days non-stop, so I had to say no to them when I committed to Sehar. I will talk about that project if and when it happens in the future.
Q: We have Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2.0, which is actually doing well. Do you think Jassi 2.0 will also happen?
A: I honestly don’t believe in “2.0s.” Once you’ve done something, you should just bury the past and try to create something better than the past. I am very happy for the Kyunki team; my wife was a part of the original show and had a very important role when it launched, so it will always be special to us. However, personally, I wouldn’t want Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin to be remade again. Seher Hone Ko Hai also stars Parth Samthaan and Mahhi Vij in key roles. The show will be premiering on December 2 onwards, Monday to Friday, 10 pm, on Colors.