Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; June 26, 2020)

Over the past few days, speculations have been rife over which actor will replace Karan Singh Grover to play the new Mr Bajaj in Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2 (KZK), after it was reported that he isn’t returning to the show post the lockdown.

Several artistes, including Sharad Kelkar and Gaurav Chopraa, were approached for the part. However, we have now learnt that the production house’s search has ended with Karan Patel, who is popular for playing Mr Bhalla on the show, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. Interestingly, he had played a small role — that of Karanvir Bohra’s (he had played Mr Bajaj’s son Prem) friend — in the original edition of KZK.

Karan shares, “Mr Bajaj is an iconic character, which has lived on in people’s minds for years. So, it’s a matter of honour to take it ahead from where Ronit Roy and Karan Singh Grover left, and add my nuances to it.”

Ask him if he is worried about being compared to the previous two actors and he replies, “I don’t fear comparisons, as that’s bound to happen. Fear creeps in only when you expect failures. In my case, I have always followed my instinct and focused on how well I can perform my role. As an artiste, I am spontaneous and that’s my forte. I will do the same with my new character.”

This is the first time Karan has replaced an actor on a show. He says, “I don’t have any preconceived notions about anything. I believe that all of us have our own journeys. No actor is bigger than the character and the show.”

As he gets ready to return to work, the actor is happy that he spent quality time with his six-month-old daughter, Mehr, during the Coronavirus lockdown. “This forced break was like a blessing in disguise for me, as I got to spend quality time with Mehr and my family. However, getting back to work is something I will happily welcome. I live for the cameras and love my work.”
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Character returns to help Prerna destroy the Basus; expect duo to fall in love, again
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 26, 2020)

Ekta Kapoor’s reboot of her 2001 show, Kasautii Zindagii Kay (KZK), which ran for seven years, started with a bang in 2018. But, since then, the show has been in the news more for its casting than its on-screen performance. The latest update is that Karan Singh Grover, who was brought in to play Mr Bajaj, has been replaced by his namesake, Karan Patel. The actor was last seen in another Ekta show, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, which wrapped up last December after a six-year run.

Last June, Grover stepped into the shoes of Ronit Roy, who had made the character a household name in the 2001 original. He was appreciated for his act, but inexplicably, just four months later, in October, the actor bade farewell to the show through an Instagram post. After endless speculations about his replacement, Grover put rumours to rest by informing Mirror (March 3) that he would return as Mr Bajaj and the audience would get to see a softer side to his character. “As long as Mr Bajaj is alive, Prerna will be, too. Before leaving, he had told her that he would return whenever she needs him. Now, he is back when she is in trouble. He obviously loves her,” he had pointed out, promising a new look.

However, back then, he had no clarity on when he would start shooting. Soon after, the pandemic brought all shoots to a halt and during the lockdown, Grover decided to quit the show for good. Subsequently, the makers approached several actors. The names that one heard included Sharad Kelkar, Gaurav Chopraa, Dino Morea and Milind Soman, among others. But it is Patel who finally bagged the part. Interestingly, just like Grover, Patel was also a part of the original KZK.

The actor is expected to join the shoot from Monday. Currently, the makers are working on his look, as they want him in a different avatar from Grover. In the upcoming track, the viewers will see Prerna planning her revenge against Anurag, who had intended to kill her. She will come up with a business scheme to destroy the Basus with the help of Bajaj. And like in the original, a new love story will begin again between Prerna and Bajaj.