Abhishek Awasthi to fill in Arjit Lavania’s shoes.
On August 19, Mahakali: Anth Hi Aarambh Hai actors Gagan Kang and Arjit Lavania passed away in a tragic road accident. Though the incident had left the cast and crew shocked, the makers, with the intention to carry on with the show, have found replacements for their characters. While Manish Bisla replaced Gagan in Indra Dev’s role a couple of weeks back, Abhishek Awasthi has now joined the cast as Nandi, the character that was played by Arjit. Talking about the same to indianexpress.com, the actor said, “Whatever happened was really sad but I hope the audience will take me as a new Nandi and not as a replacement of Arjit. His work and dedication got them to love the character and I will make sure they will continue admiring it.”
The actor further added, “Well Nandi is a character that we all have grown up reading about. I am trying to bring my own nuances to the character. Though he is an innocent soul and has a very childlike nature, he was really strong. Through my character, I want to connect with the younger audience and entertain them. Mahakali is a wonderful show and I really enjoyed watching it. And now that I am part of the team, I hope I can contribute to its success.”
Talking about Arjit and the horrific accident, Abhishek said, “It was a really sad event as we lost two of our very talented actors. Arjit was truly loved by his team and thus they took time in accepting me in his place. I was prepared for it as I know how difficult it is to see someone else in your friend’s place. But as I was done with my first shot, I saw them all smiling and I knew that the ice has been broken.”
Abhishek, who entered the industry with the reality show India’s Best Cinestars Ki Khoj, also got popular as Rakhi Sawant’s boyfriend. Stating that luck plays an important role in building a career, he said. “Reality shows definitely helps in forming a foothold as you get recognized. But how you move ahead is on you. Apart from a strong luck, you also need to be really hard working to sustain in the industry. I have made some great and some really wrong choices in life but thankfully, people know the real me and I still get some good offers.
Post his public affair and breakup, the actor had earlier this year announced his engagement with Ankita Goswami. When asked about his marriage plans, Abhishek smiled to say, “We will be getting married in February 2018. Life is in a happy space with Ankita by my side.”
Mahakali: Anth Hi Aarambh Hai, featuring Pooja Sharma and Sourabh Raaj Jain as the leads, airs every weekend on Colors.
