As Devon Ke Dev Mahadev returns to the tube as part of the lockdown line-up, Mohit Raina discusses how his reclusive nature is at odds with showbiz
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; May 31, 2020)

Five years after it was first telecast, Devon Ke Dev—Mahadev is returning to television as part of the lockdown line-up. The mythological series made Mohit Raina, who played the titular role, an overnight sensation. His popularity can be gauged from the fact that Priyanka Chopra's aunt had stated then that Mahadev would be the ideal partner for her niece.

Even as he has graduated to movies and web outings, Raina considers the television show the turning point of his career. "It got me noticed. I am thankful for the immense love I still receive from fans," he says.

While most actors would be flattered to have fans and paparazzi following their every move, in Raina's book, that may not be necessarily a good thing. Known to guard his privacy, the reticent actor prefers to stay away from the public glare. "That's my nature. I prefer not to be socially visible. I want to lead a normal life as far as possible. One can only talk about something when s/he has a project that is up for release, otherwise there is not much to say."

As an afterthought, he takes a good-humoured dig at his co-star as he quips, "I should be more out there and try to beat Jacqueline Fernandez who has over 40 million followers on Instagram."

The actor recently shared screen space with her in the Netflix film, Mrs Serial Killer. He recounts that when Mahadev was at its peak, producer Farah Khan had got her kids, Anya, Diva and Czar, to meet him as they loved the show. "Later, I connected with her at Punit Malhotra's birthday party. She invited me home for tea, and offered me the role of the cop."

Raina, whose recent digital outings include Bhaukaal and Kaafir, is keen to balance Bollywood with the web world. He has wrapped up Kunal Deshmukh's Shiddat: Journey Beyond Love. "It was slated to release in September, but with the turn of events, I don't know how things will play out."

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 14, 2019)

Mohit Raina, who became a TV heart-throb with his chiselled physique after his outing as Shiva in the television serial Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, made his big-screen debut earlier this year with Uri: The Surgical Strike. Now, the good-looking actor is set to foray onto the digital platform with ZEE5’s web series Kaafir, which is inspired by the true story of a Pakistani woman who crosses over to India with her little daughter, and gets imprisoned. Mohit plays a journalist who helps bring them justice. Here, he tells us about his digital debut, and why it took time to make the transition from TV to films...

Has life changed after Uri: The Surgical Strike?
Yes, I guess so. Filmmakers are looking at me differently. They approach me with various kinds of scripts, which they feel I will be able to do.

Why did it take so long for you to make the transition from TV to films?
That’s because on TV you have a lot of exposure on a regular basis. You need to disconnect and reconnect with the market because they are different platforms. TV’s demands are different from those of films. It took me some time to understand and relate to these demands and slowly, steadily make them (filmmakers) believe that I could portray some nice and different characters.

Now you are making your digital debut with Kaafir, which again has you portraying an intense character.
I had heard the story of Kaafir a while back and it was nothing close to the other subject (Uri). When Siddharth (P Malhotra, producer) approached me and narrated the script, I was looking forward to doing it because it would let me showcase different emotions. This is a story which was waiting to be told for more than 10 years. Bhavani Iyer, who is the writer, has been working on it for 13 years. I feel fortunate to be a part of it. This is more about human emotions and drama. I was sold in the first minute as to how could a person be so selfless and giving. He gave precious time and invested years of his life to bring a smile and happiness to somebody else who was a stranger.

You play a journalist in the series? Did you take any inspiration?
The profession is just the backdrop — he is a journalist and then he turns out to be a lawyer. What was important was the human journey and emotions.

Is shooting for a web series different from films and TV?
It’s absolutely different. Kaafir is an eight-episode series; but while shooting, you really don’t know which part is for which episode. You have to constantly be in sync with emotions. It’s not a start-to-finish schedule like a film where you shoot and join the dots. You have to be particular about your emotions and need to know the entire script.

How was the experience of shooting in Himachal?
It was good because we were shooting outdoors and we got a lot of time to devote to our work. Plus, we got to work in a natural environment. We used to shoot in a small town called Kalpa, which has a limited population. So, the locals were really helpful — we used to get home-cooked food. Conditions were tough, but they were workable. 

You are doing a romantic film Shiddat next..
Yes, I am looking forward to it. I will start shooting for it soon.

You have a great female fan following, but we didn’t see you doing any romantic show on TV. Why?
Because I got addicted to power on the small screen (he played Shiva in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, Ashoka in Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and Havildar Ishar Singh in Battle of Saragarhi) and enjoyed it too much. But now, it’s time to explore those options.

Are you taking a break from the small screen?
As of now, I am exploring different avenues. If something great comes my way, I will see.

Mohit Raina fulfilled his dream with film debut; now hopes to play hockey legend Dhanraj Pillai
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 7, 2019)

Almost 13 years after debuting on TV with Antariksh, Mohit Raina is gearing up for the release of his first Hindi film, Uri: The Surgical Strike, in which he plays Captain Karan Kashyap. “Since I am from Kashmir, I grew up around the Indian army which was a pillar of strength in difficult times. At the age of three, I had decided to join the army but I ended up becoming an actor,” he informs. Prod him on why he did not make the cut and he says, “I missed out because I am short-sighted. But life has come a full circle and with this film I return to the Valley as an Army Officer during the URI attack. It’s as close as I’ll ever come to living out my dream.”

When asked if he had a different approach to the script and his character given that he’s from Kashmir, the actor says that he simply surrendered to the the the director, Aditya Dhar’s vision. “I approached it as someone who is not aware of the details of the surgical strike. I wanted to be a part of the film at any cost. Not just for a Kashmiri, it’s an emotional subject for most Indians as we are a patriotic lot and empathise with those serving at the border,” he asserts.

It couldn’t have come at a better time given that this is an election year. “A film like Uri will do well irrespective of when it releases. I’m confident the reactions would have been the same had it released in any other year. I can’t comment on numbers but I know that people are interested in watching this film,” he avers.

Mohit is a known face on TV having played the lead in shows like Devon Ke Dev – Mahadev, Mahabharat, Ashoka Samrat and 21 Sarfarosh - Saragarhi 1897. Talking about his transition to films, he says, “I’d love to act in films, as that’d give me the opportunity to play multiple characters unlike TV where you’re stuck with one character for a year. But there’s no strategy in place,” he smiles, optimistic of the future because this is the best time for a creative person to be in the industry. “It’s not easy to cheat the audience today, you have to sell them what they want to buy.”

Is there a role he’d like to play? Pat comes the reply, “The titular role in the biopic of hockey legend Dhanraj Pillay. His is a fascinating story.”

Having played Havildar Ishar Singh in the TV show, 21 Sarfarosh, what’s his take on Akshay Kumar’s Kesari, which is also based on the Battle of Saragarhi? “It will be a big film. It’s a story of an underdog coming out as a hero and deserves to be told on a big scale,” he says. 

Ram Parmar (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 30, 2014)

At around noon yesterday, a major fire broke out on the sets of Devon Ke Dev Mahadev which is located in Poman village in Vasai (east). Although the costumes on the sets were entirely damaged, the lead cast comprising Mohit Raina and Pooja Bose managed to escape unhurt. A case has been registered at the Valiv P S and the matter is under investigation.

The official statement by the broadcasters said: “It is unfortunate that such an incident occurred on one of our sets in Mumbai, earlier today (Tuesday). As a responsible channel, we ensured a timely and smooth evacuation and are grateful that no one suffered any injuries.” 
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Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; April 30, 2014)

Costumes of the entire cast of the TV show, Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev, were destroyed in a major fire that broke out on the sets of the show in Naigaon on Tuesday morning. Says a source, “The fire started in a store on the sets; this was at Poman in Naigaon just when the 9 am shift had begun.” When contacted, the show’s producer, Nikhil Sinha, said that they were busy trying to get the fire under control. “There are about four fire engines here. Thankfully, we evacuated the sets immediately, so no one was injured on the sets,” he said.

He also pointed out that around 200 trunks of costumes were destroyed in the fire. “The serial has been airing for nearly three years now, so a considerable number of costumes and props were stacked together on the sets. It is difficult for me to assess the damage, it will be clear only after the fire has been doused.” There are two sets of the show in Naigaon, while one is at Poman and the other is located at Maljipada. The fire broke out at Poman. Nikhil added, “Given that a lot of costumes and jewellery items were stocked on the sets, the damage may run into crores of rupees. Costumes of mythological shows are expensive as specially made for the show.” Actors present on the sets during the morning shift included Vikramjeet Virk, Tapeshwari Sharma and Aarti Singh. Mohit Raina, on the other hand, was shooting at the other set at Maljipada.