Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; January 14, 2026)

Apurva Agnihotri is back on television with Seher after his stint on Anupamaa ended almost three years ago. Incidentally, he had turned down the role initially. He says, “I don’t know why my first reaction is always to say no. It was only after reading a scene that was beautifully written that I changed my mind. I’ve had offers in the past couple of years, including OTT shows, but this one worked out well for me.” 

He adds, “I don’t have any regrets about letting go of work because I have never been crazily ambitious. If things go my way, I’m happy, if they don’t, I’m still happy.”

‘When I did Pardes, the industry was ruled by four-five actors’
Apurva made his acting debut with Subhash Ghai’s Pardes in 1997 and even though the film was a hit, his Bollywood career did not take off the way he expected. Ask him about this and he says, “I did three-four films after Pardes, but in those days the industry was ruled by four-five actors. People didn’t really care about anybody else and I probably didn’t have it in me to go out there and meet people or party. I was not cut out for that world.”

‘An actor is an actor, irrespective of the medium’
Television proved to be a defining space and he made a mark with Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, which recently completed 22 years. He credits the show’s success to strong writing.

For Apurva, the shift from films to television was never a downgrade. “An actor is an actor. Whether you act on the big screen, small screen or do plays — the actor doesn’t change.”

‘I want life to be a beautiful mix of work and home’
Apurva and his wife, actress Shilpa Agnihotri welcomed their baby Ishaani in 2022. The arrival of their daughter brought a decisive shift in priorities, he says.

“Shilpa and I have this unsaid arrangement. Only one of us works and the other stays at home to look after our daughter. Ishaani surprises us every day and it is amazing to watch her grow. What I now seek is a balance. I just want life to be a beautiful mix of work and home. Nothing else,” he adds.

‘There’s no point looking at what you don’t have’
Apurva admits that for him stardom never held the kind of pull it does for many others. “I don’t think I’m built that way. I’ve learned to be happy with what I have. That’s also a part of spirituality. There’s no point looking at what you don’t have, you rather focus on what you do,” he says.