Showing posts with label Reporters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reporters. Show all posts
I politely turned down a mythological show. I didn’t even ask what they wanted me to play-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:23 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; January 9, 2018)
Rajeev Khandelwal, who was last seen in the TV show Reporters, is all set to make a comeback after a two-year hiatus. He will foray into the digital space with a web series titled Haq Se, which is being produced by Ekta Kapoor. The duo will work together after a decade since Kahiin To Hoga was aired, which had made Rajeev a small-screen heartthrob. Here, he talks about exploring a new medium, doing films off the beaten track and why the content on TV doesn’t appeal to him...
From TV to films to web, you have explored everything.
Yes. For me, the medium doesn’t make any difference. I’m still acting and that’s what is important. With time and technology, the space will keep changing. Web has made its presence felt everywhere, after this something else may come up. The achievement should be to work on all platforms. Will I be accepted by the web, TV, film and theatre audience? Now, that would be challenging and fun.
Which medium do you find more challenging to work in?
Television is very demanding. We shoot episodes as the telecast is on and have to accommodate last-minute changes according to the audience feedback. On the other hand, I find that filming for cinema as well as web is the same because we get the script in advance, it is shot and then released either online or in theatres. But as an actor, all the three are same for me. Once I’m in front of the camera, I don’t think about the medium.
After Reporters, one would have expected to see you more on the small screen...
I got a lot of offers, but I didn’t find them exciting. Recently, I was approached for a mythological show, but I politely turned it down. I didn’t even ask what they wanted me to play because it didn’t interest me. I’m sure the shows are according to the taste that is prevalent, but the content doesn’t appeal to me. The kind of audience that used to watch Kahiin To Hoga, Kasautii Zindagii Kay or for that matter Banegi Apni Baat has deserted TV. They have either moved on to the web or are watching international series. When I’m surfing channels, I find a lot of similarity between serials, in fact, they look like copies! I think it’s one way of being in the rat race — if one show works, it leads to a lot of prototypes. I’m just hoping that something like Reporters, which was different, comes to me, then I will consider it.
You are known to take long gaps between projects and stay away from the limelight. Is it deliberate?
That’s how I am. I neither feel the need to have a PR machinery nor do I believe in posting pictures of my holidays, having an affair with somebody and breaking up! Except for Twitter, I’m not on social media. Also, work is not the be-all and end-all of my life. I feel people will not remember me if I’m not around. That way, I can start from scratch. It makes things a lot easier as there is no baggage. But whenever people do see me, they walk up and give me a smile. There is that excitement in them when I’m in a project and I wonder why. But I still feel the need to win them over with every project.
Though Reporters was not high on TRPs, you won over a new generation of viewers...
Yes, and they are surprisingly younger girls. When 15-year-old girls address me by my name and say they like me, I don’t know how to react!
What prompted you to do Haq Se?
Web is a different world and since people know I like to do diverse stuff, I was offered a lot of web shows. But I wasn’t sure how many people actually watch them. However, when I was approached for this series and was told that it is being handled by Ekta, I decided to go ahead. Ekta knows her job. When I was given the script, it blew me away. It is based on the classic novel Little Women and is basically about four sisters. Haq Se is set in Kashmir and the way it has been adapted, the Valley also becomes another character. I thought it was ambitious and my only concern was the budget because I had heard that money is tight on web shows. But the way Ekta has spent on it, the amount is bigger than any films I have been part of!
Tell us about your character in the series.
I play a doctor and like every other character in the series, he has his own quirks. What he is on the outside does not reflect what he is inside. You will see several sides to him — he is silent, brooding and idiosyncratic, but he has his reasons. There is a lot of turmoil, angst and pain in him, which you will know when you watch it.
After Kahiin To Hoga, there were problems between Ekta and you. How was that sorted out?
Ekta is one of the most professional producers and this is not the first time she and I made an attempt to work together after Kahiin To Hoga. A lot of people had a certain perception about her and me ever since I quit that show in 2005. But they didn’t know that throughout that phase, whenever both of us met at parties or events, she was polite and warm. There were a couple of occasions when we almost worked together, but it didn’t happen. So, when we met this time, I could see the same enthusiastic Ekta passionately giving me a narration the way she had done during Kahiin To Hoga. It felt as though there was no gap between us in terms of working with each other. Then, I met the same set of people at Balaji. I also caught up with Jeetuji (Jeetendra) and Shobha ji, which was great.
Sex used to help sell films, but not anymore-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:09 AM
Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; July 28, 2016)
Rajeev Khandelwal is
antithesis of an an actor. He refuses to adhere to the rules of the
glamour industry and feels that an actor's status shouldn't be deter
mined by his swanky car or palatial house. Instead, it should be
assessed on how well he connects with his audience. Even as he focuses
on the big screen now, the man isn't in a mood to quit television yet.In
a freewheeling chat with Bombay Times, he speaks about his upcoming
film Fever, the growth of indie films and the power of the tube...
What made you think that this film is a hot proposition?
The script is exciting and original. It is loaded with suspense and has a great style of storytelling. The movie is set in Switzerland and I have three beautiful women opposite me.
Ever faked a fever to wriggle out of school or a meeting?
I used to put onions under my armpits hoping that it would result in fever, not just to escape school, but also my mom's fury. However, this Fever is not detrimental to your health and I hope everyone catches it.
It must have been nerve-wracking to romance three women (Gauahar Khan, Gemma Atkinson and Caterina Murino) from three different nationalities on screen.
I feel like an achiever (laughs). Men might envy me, but for an actor, it becomes a routine after a few days of shoot. Initially, I was apprehensive, but the women helped me to make the chemistry look natural. They put me at ease so that I could approach the intimate scenes like any other emotion. After that, I didn't even think twice about what my boundary should be.
Unlike your other films, there are a lot of intimate scenes in Fever. Do you think sex sells on screen?
Till a few years ago, sex used to help sell films, but not anymore. Today, people can easily watch it on several mediums. They'll not spend Rs 300 to catch glimpses of it in a film. Several movies laced with sexual innuendos and scenes haven't worked at the box office. People who have followed my work should come to watch this film expecting something different. Fever is more cerebral than physical.
Were you worried about the film facing any kind of censor trouble?
We were, but surprisingly, it passed without any cuts. It's strange that we can show bloodshed, but not love on screen. How can anyone decide that a couple can't kiss for the fifth time in a film? Having said that, the discussions and disagreements that the industry and the Censor Board have had in the past have only helped both the parties to evolve and co-exist.
What's the real Rajeev Khandelwal like?
I don't take myself seriously and that's not a calculated approach. I don't want people to look at me as an icon because it's a huge responsibility. I am an ordinary person and fallible. I don't have agendas in life and have no expectations from people. Professionally, I want to be in a comfortable position where I can choose roles that match my sensibilities and not look for means to be part of projects I want to be associated with. I have never thought of big banners but I hope I can make small banners big and that will be a real victory.
Given the overnight success of Aamir, don't you think your progress in Bollywood has been rather slow?
I don't live in a fool's paradise and I know my strengths and weaknesses. A lot of people wanted to work with me after Aamir, but I was clear that I wouldn't just take up anything. I didn't want people to cash in on the movie's popularity. I wasted two years when a film didn't see the light of the day and a senior director kept me on tenterhooks. I had to start afresh. The industry has been fair and I have got more than what I deserve. I'm aware that I'm not the finest actor around. I know I still need to evolve and grow but I have been accepted in both television and films. What more can I ask for?
Don't you wish to act in a typical Bollywood potboiler to join the big league?
It's not about being on top, but about being in the game. The biggest commercial films have been a debacle, whereas indie films have been successful because they are content driven. Besides, a typical Bollywood potboiler replete with a few jokes and dancing around the trees is dying cinema. Having said that, actors do require a great deal of talent to pull it off since it doesn't exist in the real world and there is nothing around you to derive inspiration from. Now, even my contemporaries are doing content-driven films. As for me, I am happy being part of different and more thoughtful cinema.
Would you like to change anything about your career, maybe the films or shows that didn't work?
Given a choice, I would not take any other route because I have learnt a lot along the way. I wouldn't call any of my films a mistake, but I do feel that I should have been more careful about the people I worked with and not let my emotions come in the way. I wish I had done a bit of research on the producers behind certain projects. But everything, including failures, helps you grow and learn something new about the industry. With all honesty, I don't regret what I have done in my career as every decision has been mine.
Why have TV actors, barring a few, failed to make it big in Bollywood?
Why don't we ask film actors who work on television the same question? It's a media perception that TV is smaller than films and television actors are made to believe that it's a smaller medium. Bollywood biggies have also failed on television (fiction shows), but nobody seems to have an issue with that. A film actor probably entertains you for five days, but a TV artiste entertains the audience throughout the year and yet is made to feel smaller. That's so ironical. If an actor is genuinely treating all the mediums equally and is committed to his craft, he will be accepted by viewers irrespective of the medium he is on. I treat TV with immense respect. My battle has been to change the mindset that television is a smaller medium. That day is not far off when a TV actor will judge a reality show.
Do you think your previous film didn't work because you were also seen on television?
Samrat & Co. didn't work because it was badly released by the producers. Even hoardings weren't installed outside cinema halls. It didn't fail because I was also seen on TV. I was doing Sach Ka Saamna (SAS) during Shaitan and both worked.
What about your last show, Reporters, which didn't generate high ratings?
It started on a good note and enjoyed its share of viewership, especially abroad and in the digital space. The storyline underwent a change and digressed towards the end, but I was contractually bound to finish the series. However, the effort towards the show was genuine and our approach didn't change till the end.
During Kahiin Toh Hoga, you were also touted as the next Rajesh Khanna...
I won't play according to that perception built around me. I don't want to be a victim of it and get swayed by it. I still get attention. Probably not the kind I got during Kahiin Toh Hoga, a show which I left consciously. I didn't repeat my role of Sujal because I didn't want to be in my comfort zone or bask in my past glory. After Aamir, I realised that I wanted to win over the same set of fans with the kind of work I do and not with the character they relate to. People connect with me with as an actor now. Had I been addicted to that kind of fame, I would not have picked up unconventional projects.
What made you think that this film is a hot proposition?
The script is exciting and original. It is loaded with suspense and has a great style of storytelling. The movie is set in Switzerland and I have three beautiful women opposite me.
Ever faked a fever to wriggle out of school or a meeting?
I used to put onions under my armpits hoping that it would result in fever, not just to escape school, but also my mom's fury. However, this Fever is not detrimental to your health and I hope everyone catches it.
It must have been nerve-wracking to romance three women (Gauahar Khan, Gemma Atkinson and Caterina Murino) from three different nationalities on screen.
I feel like an achiever (laughs). Men might envy me, but for an actor, it becomes a routine after a few days of shoot. Initially, I was apprehensive, but the women helped me to make the chemistry look natural. They put me at ease so that I could approach the intimate scenes like any other emotion. After that, I didn't even think twice about what my boundary should be.
Unlike your other films, there are a lot of intimate scenes in Fever. Do you think sex sells on screen?
Till a few years ago, sex used to help sell films, but not anymore. Today, people can easily watch it on several mediums. They'll not spend Rs 300 to catch glimpses of it in a film. Several movies laced with sexual innuendos and scenes haven't worked at the box office. People who have followed my work should come to watch this film expecting something different. Fever is more cerebral than physical.
Were you worried about the film facing any kind of censor trouble?
We were, but surprisingly, it passed without any cuts. It's strange that we can show bloodshed, but not love on screen. How can anyone decide that a couple can't kiss for the fifth time in a film? Having said that, the discussions and disagreements that the industry and the Censor Board have had in the past have only helped both the parties to evolve and co-exist.
What's the real Rajeev Khandelwal like?
I don't take myself seriously and that's not a calculated approach. I don't want people to look at me as an icon because it's a huge responsibility. I am an ordinary person and fallible. I don't have agendas in life and have no expectations from people. Professionally, I want to be in a comfortable position where I can choose roles that match my sensibilities and not look for means to be part of projects I want to be associated with. I have never thought of big banners but I hope I can make small banners big and that will be a real victory.
Given the overnight success of Aamir, don't you think your progress in Bollywood has been rather slow?
I don't live in a fool's paradise and I know my strengths and weaknesses. A lot of people wanted to work with me after Aamir, but I was clear that I wouldn't just take up anything. I didn't want people to cash in on the movie's popularity. I wasted two years when a film didn't see the light of the day and a senior director kept me on tenterhooks. I had to start afresh. The industry has been fair and I have got more than what I deserve. I'm aware that I'm not the finest actor around. I know I still need to evolve and grow but I have been accepted in both television and films. What more can I ask for?
Don't you wish to act in a typical Bollywood potboiler to join the big league?
It's not about being on top, but about being in the game. The biggest commercial films have been a debacle, whereas indie films have been successful because they are content driven. Besides, a typical Bollywood potboiler replete with a few jokes and dancing around the trees is dying cinema. Having said that, actors do require a great deal of talent to pull it off since it doesn't exist in the real world and there is nothing around you to derive inspiration from. Now, even my contemporaries are doing content-driven films. As for me, I am happy being part of different and more thoughtful cinema.
Would you like to change anything about your career, maybe the films or shows that didn't work?
Given a choice, I would not take any other route because I have learnt a lot along the way. I wouldn't call any of my films a mistake, but I do feel that I should have been more careful about the people I worked with and not let my emotions come in the way. I wish I had done a bit of research on the producers behind certain projects. But everything, including failures, helps you grow and learn something new about the industry. With all honesty, I don't regret what I have done in my career as every decision has been mine.
Why have TV actors, barring a few, failed to make it big in Bollywood?
Why don't we ask film actors who work on television the same question? It's a media perception that TV is smaller than films and television actors are made to believe that it's a smaller medium. Bollywood biggies have also failed on television (fiction shows), but nobody seems to have an issue with that. A film actor probably entertains you for five days, but a TV artiste entertains the audience throughout the year and yet is made to feel smaller. That's so ironical. If an actor is genuinely treating all the mediums equally and is committed to his craft, he will be accepted by viewers irrespective of the medium he is on. I treat TV with immense respect. My battle has been to change the mindset that television is a smaller medium. That day is not far off when a TV actor will judge a reality show.
Do you think your previous film didn't work because you were also seen on television?
Samrat & Co. didn't work because it was badly released by the producers. Even hoardings weren't installed outside cinema halls. It didn't fail because I was also seen on TV. I was doing Sach Ka Saamna (SAS) during Shaitan and both worked.
What about your last show, Reporters, which didn't generate high ratings?
It started on a good note and enjoyed its share of viewership, especially abroad and in the digital space. The storyline underwent a change and digressed towards the end, but I was contractually bound to finish the series. However, the effort towards the show was genuine and our approach didn't change till the end.
During Kahiin Toh Hoga, you were also touted as the next Rajesh Khanna...
I won't play according to that perception built around me. I don't want to be a victim of it and get swayed by it. I still get attention. Probably not the kind I got during Kahiin Toh Hoga, a show which I left consciously. I didn't repeat my role of Sujal because I didn't want to be in my comfort zone or bask in my past glory. After Aamir, I realised that I wanted to win over the same set of fans with the kind of work I do and not with the character they relate to. People connect with me with as an actor now. Had I been addicted to that kind of fame, I would not have picked up unconventional projects.
I don't relish success even if I have earned it-Rajeev Khandelwal
7:48 AM
Roshni K Olivera (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2015)
Rajeev Khandelwal, who has
returned to TV (fiction) after seven years with the show
Reporters - that starts on April 13 and will air every Monday to
Thursday at 9 pm on Sony Entertainment Television - is excited about his
new role. Excerpts from an interview where he talks about his life as a 'journalist', the competitive TRP game and why he still feels like a
newcomer...
Now that you are playing a TV journalist, has your opinion of
us (media) changed?
Actually, yes! I understand the pressure, stress, expectation, ambition and the approach of journalists in general, a little better now. But most importantly, I am beginning to understand that every reporter (one who is serious about the profession) starts finding himself/herself while reporting and that sets the approach and the tone of deliverance. The research team has done a wonderful job to create a world, which is very close to real.
What do you have to say about the constant TRP versus ethics debate?
I think there are two schools that run parallel. One is capitalist and the other is socialist in approach. And because they co-exist, we have a fine balance.
Your show is also a love story.
That is what makes a reporter human! That he/she has the same emotions, aspirations, frustrations and dreams like others. The moment a journalist puts down his pen or mic, the reporting ends. But the reporter lives on. The show has a lot to do with these 'in between' moments. What happens before 'action' and after 'cut'.
You are returning to TV fiction after many years. How anxious are you about the audience's reaction?
I feel like a newcomer with every project of mine, so this is no different too. I am as anxious, as nervous and as charged up as any confident newcomer would be. I don't rest on my past achievements, so I don't expect the audience to give me any concession if I I fail to fulfil their expectations.This is where I expect a capitalist r approach from the viewers.
Why did you decide to make a comeback with this show?
I don't think I would have made this decision if Shrishti Arya was not on board. I have always wanted to work with her. She lives the same passion as I do, maybe more. I always wanted to be a part of a finite series. And with Goldie Behl directing the show, I know I will never regret my decision. Also, Sony has been equally passionate about the show and my first meeting with the concerned heads gave me the confidence that I would be a part of a superb series. Successful or not, time will tell.
Films or TV? Which one's tougher when it comes to performing?
For someone like me, both are equally tough. I don't relish success if I haven't earned it or worked hard for it. But if I have to pick one, I would say television is more challenging, if you take your job seriously and not take the audience for granted. And the challenge lies in keeping the audience engaged almost every day for months and for years, at times.
Some feel doing a TV daily soap can affect one's film appeal. What do you say?
I'd say having a pre-determined mindset and not doing what you really believe in, leaves you with no appeal. I thought we have progressed, but if this mindset is still around then it's about time to rescue those who live a life of insecurity because of it.
Actually, yes! I understand the pressure, stress, expectation, ambition and the approach of journalists in general, a little better now. But most importantly, I am beginning to understand that every reporter (one who is serious about the profession) starts finding himself/herself while reporting and that sets the approach and the tone of deliverance. The research team has done a wonderful job to create a world, which is very close to real.
What do you have to say about the constant TRP versus ethics debate?
I think there are two schools that run parallel. One is capitalist and the other is socialist in approach. And because they co-exist, we have a fine balance.
Your show is also a love story.
That is what makes a reporter human! That he/she has the same emotions, aspirations, frustrations and dreams like others. The moment a journalist puts down his pen or mic, the reporting ends. But the reporter lives on. The show has a lot to do with these 'in between' moments. What happens before 'action' and after 'cut'.
You are returning to TV fiction after many years. How anxious are you about the audience's reaction?
I feel like a newcomer with every project of mine, so this is no different too. I am as anxious, as nervous and as charged up as any confident newcomer would be. I don't rest on my past achievements, so I don't expect the audience to give me any concession if I I fail to fulfil their expectations.This is where I expect a capitalist r approach from the viewers.
Why did you decide to make a comeback with this show?
I don't think I would have made this decision if Shrishti Arya was not on board. I have always wanted to work with her. She lives the same passion as I do, maybe more. I always wanted to be a part of a finite series. And with Goldie Behl directing the show, I know I will never regret my decision. Also, Sony has been equally passionate about the show and my first meeting with the concerned heads gave me the confidence that I would be a part of a superb series. Successful or not, time will tell.
Films or TV? Which one's tougher when it comes to performing?
For someone like me, both are equally tough. I don't relish success if I haven't earned it or worked hard for it. But if I have to pick one, I would say television is more challenging, if you take your job seriously and not take the audience for granted. And the challenge lies in keeping the audience engaged almost every day for months and for years, at times.
Some feel doing a TV daily soap can affect one's film appeal. What do you say?
I'd say having a pre-determined mindset and not doing what you really believe in, leaves you with no appeal. I thought we have progressed, but if this mindset is still around then it's about time to rescue those who live a life of insecurity because of it.
Rajeev Khandelwal and Kritika Kamra clarify the slapgate incident
7:37 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (March 26, 2015)
While the first teaser of
Sony Entertainment Television's Reporters got
viewers excited about Rajeev Khandelwal's comeback to television, its
latest promo has sent the excitement levels soaring. The promo featuring
a bold kiss between Rajeev and Kritika Kamra, followed by a tight slap,
has become the talk of the town.
A few days ago, the leaked footage from the promo went viral, with fans of the two stars mistaking it for an actual incident and this created a raging war on social media. Now that the promo has gone on air, the whole kiss and slap incident is clear. It's basically a part of the scene in which Rajeev endorses Kritika's actions and says that this slap is an answer to all those who mistreat women. Since the show delves around the news-making industry, the promo aptly establishes the plot.
Rajeev says, “The truth needs to be told. How beautifully, how effectively and how honestly, is what makes a journalist. It's not just about deliverance, it's about involvement. The promo is not bold visually, but it's bold in attitude. It involves you. The beauty is it hits you right where it should and also conveys the show's approach right in the beginning.“
Kritika adds, “We don't know where this whole controversy emerged from. We were equally surprised when we saw it on the internet. The kiss and slap were part of our script and the promo is getting a great response.“
Reporters will start on April 13 and air Monday to Thursday at 9 pm on Sony Entertainment Television.
A few days ago, the leaked footage from the promo went viral, with fans of the two stars mistaking it for an actual incident and this created a raging war on social media. Now that the promo has gone on air, the whole kiss and slap incident is clear. It's basically a part of the scene in which Rajeev endorses Kritika's actions and says that this slap is an answer to all those who mistreat women. Since the show delves around the news-making industry, the promo aptly establishes the plot.
Rajeev says, “The truth needs to be told. How beautifully, how effectively and how honestly, is what makes a journalist. It's not just about deliverance, it's about involvement. The promo is not bold visually, but it's bold in attitude. It involves you. The beauty is it hits you right where it should and also conveys the show's approach right in the beginning.“
Kritika adds, “We don't know where this whole controversy emerged from. We were equally surprised when we saw it on the internet. The kiss and slap were part of our script and the promo is getting a great response.“
Reporters will start on April 13 and air Monday to Thursday at 9 pm on Sony Entertainment Television.
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