Mohit Malik bids adieu to Kulfi Kumar Bajewala.
Star Plus’ drama Kulfi Kumar Bajewala will air its last episode on Friday. A remake of popular Bengali serial Potol Kumar Gaanwala, the daily presented the story of a prodigy and her quest to find her father. While Aakriti Sharma played the titular role, Mohit Malik enacted the role of her estranged father. Apart from them, Anjali Anand and Myra Singh played pivotal parts.
As the show is set to end tonight, indianexpress.com got talking to Mohit Malik on his experience. The actor also shared what kind of roles he wants to do in future and the importance of positivity in the profession.
Here are excerpts from the conversation.
What’s the emotion now that Kulfi Kumar Bajewala is going off air?
It’s definitely overwhelming and an emotional time for me as the show and my character have been very close to my heart. The sets have been like my home for the last two years. I will miss the cast and entire crew, who have been like a family to me! Bidding goodbye to Kulfi has been very hard for me.
You have been very close to the little girls on the show. How difficult was it to break the news to them?
We were all prepared to be honest, the girls as well. They took it very sportingly, as we even spoke about how we would be in touch post the show as well. These two girls have been like my family, and they will always be an integral part of my life.
While Samrat (in Doli Armaanon Ki) has been a high point in your career, how did Kulfi change things for you, both personally and professionally?
Kulfi Kumar and Sikander (his character) did change things for me. People really loved my character, and the show’s storyline which I feel was very different from the usual TV concepts. This is the reason it caught everybody’s attention, and in turn, helped me project my diversity as an actor on television.
The show started on a promising note but somewhere drifted away from the original story. As an actor, how do you deal with that?
As an actor, I took that very sportingly. It is eventually up to the creatives to decide the angle of the storyline. More than that, we need to experiment with the story and concept, so that viewers get something different and new.
Having worked extensively, will you be looking out for a break or want to jump into another show soon?
I will definitely be looking at a short break to unwind and relax.
What are the kind of roles you want to do next?
I am always looking at good content and a good script which can allow me to explore my versatility as an actor.
TV is said to be a women’s medium. Do you feel there are enough good roles for men?
I think in this day and age, television is a great space to be in for both men and women. Things are really evolving now, and so there are enough roles and scripts for both sexes.
Are you looking out for a break in Bollywood?
I am someone who is very loyal to television. The love and appreciation that you receive here is unlike any other medium, to be honest! But again, if I am ever given a chance to venture into Bollywood, I would definitely take it up.
Today, digital medium has also become a good option for actors. Are you open for the same? How comfortable will you be with bold content?
The web space is definitely emerging and opening its doors to some great content, so if there is a good script and role for me in the digital space, I would definitely take it up. Speaking about bold content, well not all of it is bold, as some shows focus on topics which don’t require bold content.
Recently, the television industry saw two unfortunate suicides (Kushal Punjabi and Sejal Sharma). From then on, a lot has been spoken about depression in showbiz. How does one keep themselves positive in a profession like acting?
I feel that mental strength is the key here. It has to be strong to uplift you from situations which cannot be handled. Other than that, I feel that if one is content and secure with what they have in life at this point in time, it will keep them happy and at peace.
Also, your wife has become a successful entrepreneur. Do you feel it’s important to have an alternate profession or a backup?
Yes, I can proudly say that Additte is successfully running two ventures of her own, which I am very happy about. More than having a backup, I feel that in this day and age, the more you can do with your time and knowledge, the better, as it will only help you enhance your talent.