This Valentine’s Day, Puncch Beat will take the audience’s back to their first love in school. The ALTBalaji series stars young sensations Harshita Gaur, Priyank Sharma, Siddharth Sharma and newbie Khushi Joshi in the lead role.
Produced by Vikas Gupta, the 14-episode series is a high-school drama set in Dehradun. From the first kiss and the first heartbreak to exam pressure and constant competition, Puncch Beat will give a sneak peek into the lives of Rosewood High School students.
Ahead of its launch, Harshita spoke exclusively to indianexpress.com about her role in Punchh Beat, getting back to dance and comparison with Student of the Year.
Excerpts from the conversation.
Q: How was it to go back to school with Puncch Beat?
It felt so great. I have already done a college based show (Sadda Haq). And this was even more special as I got to relive my school days. Vikas, who is a friend, had shared the idea with me long back. And trust me, I was so kicked about it from the word go. There is a very young energy to the series. We are also dealing with a lot of teenager issues which might seem petty now, but it was a major problem back then. The youth will have a lot to take from Puncch Beat.
Q: You also have a lot of dance sequences in the show?
That was the highlight of my character (laughs). There are some really beautiful acts. Personally, I have been wanting to get back to dancing for a while now, but couldn’t, owing to my hectic schedule. I have learnt kathak for six years and I never knew it would be so tough to dance again. I am thankful to the show, for I know now I am never leaving dance again.
Q: Tell us more about your character Divyanka.
Divyanka aka Dinky is a very transparent girl. She is also very expressive. Whatever is in her heart, it’s on her face also. She is a dancer but a little clumsy. For a change, no character in this show is completely positive. Each one has shades of grey. Even in real life, all of us are flawed somewhere, and Puncch Beat is the mirror to that reality.
Q: As you said, Vikas has been your friend, did that make work easier or was he the strict producer?
Of course, he is a dear friend. But we both are also very professional. Friendship and work can always go hand in hand, when you know where to draw the line.
Q: From the time Puncch Beat has been announced, it has been compared to Student of the Year. What’s your take on it?
Actually, we tend to always compare things to something that’s already established. But it would be honour to be compared to such a big hit. The film had done fabulously well and is indeed a benchmark. But there is no similarity between the two. I remember when Mirzapur was launched, people compared it to Gangs of Wasseypur. But apart from the basic setup, there was nothing common. Similarly, SOTY and Puncch Beat are very different from each other.
Q: You’ve had a good digital year last year with Mirzapur and now Puncch Beat. What do you think of the digital medium?
It’s doing so well and I am sure it will grow further. It’s a great time for us actors to experiment. I am really happy that I got the opportunity to play such diverse roles in both the series. Looking for more exciting times ahead.
Puncch Beat will begin streaming on the ALTBalaji app from February 14.
