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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

One would assume that a dearth of good roles and the birth of her daughter last year kept Shilpa Saklani away from the screen, but the actor has been busy behind the scenes. “My heart always belonged behind the scenes; I guess the timing was not right then,” says Saklani, who, along with actor-husband Apurva Agnihotri, has been planning to start their own production house.

While the couple is busy working out the logistics of floating a production house, Saklani has joined the cast of Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal. She plays a werewolf in the fantasy fiction show, which is based on The Vampire Diaries. Ask her why she chose to add more responsibilities to her plate, and she says that she was only too happy to reunite with the makers.

“When they [the makers] called me, I knew it would be something worth my while. I didn’t ask them too many questions. I had not seen The Vampire Diaries, but had heard of the cult show. They didn’t leave me any options after [pestering] me for three days. I knew they would be after my life, which is always good,” explains Saklani, who is now mother to five-month-old Ishaani.

The actor says that while she is dividing her time between her daughter and the show, work on the production house is simultaneously going on. “With my daughter coming into my life like a miracle, I have put a pause button on myself because being a mother is a 24x7 job. The day I feel she is old enough to come with me to work every day, we will start again,” says Saklani, adding that in the interim, she is thrilled to be on set. “I have been doing this for 25 years, but it is always fun to be in front of the camera.”

The news of actor Kushal Punjabi’s suicide has left his friends in the industry shocked
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 28, 2019)

Most of Kushal Punjabi’s industry friends remember him as a fighter. Yes, he’s had a fair share of struggles and setbacks in his personal and professional life, but everyone who knew him closely, believed that he was the kind of man who would fight back and not give up. So, the news of his suicide on Thursday night came as a shock to them. What could have driven the 42-year-old actor to take such an extreme step?

We spoke to his close friend, actor Chetan Hansraj, who revealed, “Kushal had hit a low. He was worried about lack of work, and he was also going through a separation from his wife.” Kushal had married Audrey Dolhen, a French national, in November 2015, in Goa, and they have a three-year-old son, Kian. However, Audrey moved to Shanghai with Kian after they started having problems in their marriage. They were even contemplating divorce in the last few months.

Talking about Kushal’s recent state of mind, Chetan said, “I would often tell Kushal not to feel demoralised about work, as such phases are common in this industry. I always told him to get his life together, but little did I know that he would end it. He was with his son and had returned to India only recently.”

Chetan said, “He messaged me a couple of days back and said that we should catch up. However, a day ago, when his parents tried to reach him, their calls went unanswered. Worried, they called me, and I reached his place, but it was too late by then. I am still in a state of shock and can’t come to terms with the fact that he is not with us anymore. He was very strong and full of life.”

Kushal Punjabi, who started his career with the TV show, A Mouthful Of Sky (1995), went on to do films like Lakshya (2004), Kaal (2005) Salaam-E-Ishq: A Tribute To Love (2007) and Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007). In recent years, he went back to television and was a part of shows like Zindagi Wins, Kya Haal Mister Panchaal and Sajan Re Phir Jhooth Mat Bolo. Earlier this year, he made a cameo appearance in Guddan: Tumse Na Ho Payega, and was last seen in Ishq Mein Marjaavaan.

Actor couple Shilpa Saklani and Apurva Agnihotri, who have been close to Kushal for many years now, are shaken. Shilpa said, “Till day before yesterday, we were planning to head out of Mumbai for New Year’s. Kushal was our hero. If there are 10 people standing in a frame and if I were asked to point out to a person who could die like this, I would never take Kushal’s name. He was so strong and rock solid. Professionally, he had many things to look forward to in 2020. So, Apurva and I don’t think that he ended his life because of professional lows. On the personal front, too, I know that his wife Audrey and he had planned the best things for their son. I still can’t understand why he did this. He was so brave, but then, you don’t know what happens in that particular moment…”

Rapper Baba Sehgal, who knew Kushal Punjabi for many years and had also worked with him in a couple of TV shows, regrets not being in touch with him over the past few months. “When they say you should meet your friends and keep in touch, they don’t say it just like that. You never know what they are going through. I really don’t know what made Kushal take such a drastic step. I wish he and I were in touch over the past few days.”

Actor Karanvir Bohra, another close friend of Kushal, told us, “I have known him for 16 years and the Kushal I knew was a strong man, both mentally and physically, I could never imagine he would do something like this. He was truly an inspiration for me. He would always keep honing his skills. If he was not acting, he would dance, direct, write. He was such an amazing and doting father. This also makes me think about the lives we all lead on social media. How happy are you really? Or are you leading a second life on social media? In Kushal’s case, what he posted on social media wasn’t a facade, that was real. But we could never imagine that he would do something as drastic as this. I am really shaken up.”

Actress Narayani Shastri shared, “Kushal wasn’t stressed about his work. He loved his profession and was expanding his horizons by getting into writing and direction as well. His reasons were more personal and I would not like to discuss that. Every person reacts to a situation differently, we can’t judge anything.”

Actor Karan Patel said, “In my social media post, I had written, ‘The happiest faces hide the most saddened hearts.’ I wrote that because I have known Kushal for a long time and he was a great guy. Forget being negative, he never had even a frown on his face. He was also one of the best athletes I know. He was positive, cheerful and full of life. Seeing his zest for life, I never thought that he would bid his final goodbye like this.”

— With inputs from Tanvi Trivedi

Sonali Bendre who makes her acting foray on TV with Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye talks about her role and more
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 27, 2014)


After judging half-a-dozen reality shows, finally you also got bitten by the acting bug on TV...
Yes, and I am wondering why? It’s really scary. For one, I am not used to shooting such long hours. Secondly, on reality shows I am being myself saying and doing what I want. Here, I am playing a character, something which I haven’t done for a long time. I had nightmares about shooting for the show. People say acting is like bicycle riding — once you learn, you never forget it. Still, I was apprehensive about hitting the right note. I am also nervous about how people will accept it.

What prompted you to take up the show?
Honestly, it was the role and the several shades to the character. Plus, the fact that I am playing my age. I have lived my life the way I want to and I have no desire to re-live my 20s. Another thing that appealed to me is it’s a finite show so you know where you are going and where it is ending.

Isn’t it about extra-marital relationship?
The way I look at it is it’s about the journey this woman goes through. There are layers to my character and it’s part of a plot. The way I approach the story is different. It’s about a woman who has been married off at the age of 22 after her graduation. She is a housewife and has always been somebody’s somebody. There comes a point in her life when she thinks she needs to start working. Even for a working woman like me who hasn’t been part of the industry for 10 years to start picking up from where one has left is a big deal, so imagine how it will be for a woman who has never worked to start building a life again. I connected with the role because my mother used to always tell us three sisters that we have to be independent. She was a housewife so it must have come from a place where she felt that and it reasonated with me.

The promos show your character as sweet and Apurva Agnihotri’s as arrogant.
Actually, Apurva is not arrogant but quirky, and audience will love that. He has an obsessive compulsive disorder and till you know about it, it’s irritating. But there’s a different layer to his character. That’s the beauty of this show.

What was your husband Goldie Behl’s reaction to your doing the show?
Frankly, I had said no to the show initially. The channel head Ajit (Thakur) then called up Goldie to ask why I was turning down such a good role. Goldie and I never discuss work, but Ajit knows Goldie so he called him. When Goldie heard the role he was surprised. He asked me why I was refusing when I always said I don’t want to do films because I don’t get to play my age. He was like, ‘here you are getting a role which fits you perfectly, you look good and I know you can do it.’ I was still hesitant because that would mean leaving my son for longer hours, but Goldie convinced me saying I had stayed with him for seven years and now that he is nine he also needed to be independent and it would be good for me too!

Will we see you making a comeback to films now?
No, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara was an exception. Shobha aunty (Shobha Kapoor) called my mom-in-law and I did it. Even now, though Ekta is producing the show, the channel called me. However, I wanted to make sure everything is smooth because it’s a family thing. TV is much more organised and structured compared to films. Also, I cannot go on long outdoor shoots, so no films as of now.