Vishal Aditya Singh, who is currently playing the lead role in the recently launched show Parshuram, was in Vadodara recently for a quick trip. The actor, known for his strong performances in shows like Begusarai, Chandrakanta and Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala, shares, “We needed to shoot a couple of sequences for Parshuram at a studio in Vadodara and coming here made me nostalgic. For Jai Jai Shiv Shankar, my very first TV show, I shot in Vadodara and stayed here for about a year. The Navratri celebrations here are just magical. Also, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised when I saw girls in Vadodara returning home alone on their two-wheelers at 3 am in the morning, without worrying about anything. I love this city because I learnt a lot about my craft while shooting here.” He adds, “Also, I was here during the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup final in 2007 and it felt like a festival. I also remember having refreshing kulhad ki chai near Sursagar. Gujarat ke log bahot zinda dil hai and it’s always a pleasure to come here. I also love having Gujarati thali.”
‘I have always avoided doing saas-bahu
Talking about his latest project, he says, “After every show, I try to ensure that my next project is something different. I had never done a mythological show earlier and so, I was excited when I got this role. While we see so many mythological shows in Indian television, nobody has made one on Parshuram ji and there are a lot of misconceptions about him. I have always loved new challenges and doing a mythological show presents some exciting challenges, be it in terms of costumes or the kind of dialogues that you need to remember. If I don’t experiment with my roles, I get bored easily and I have always avoided doing saas-bahu soaps.” He adds, “As a TV actor, when you start your journey, you don’t have much of a choice and have to take up whatever is being offered to gain a foothold in the industry. But once you become popular, you have the option of being a little choosy and I try to do something new every time. And it’s not like I only want to play lead characters, I am fine with a good role. For instance, I wasn’t the lead in Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala, but I absolutely loved that role.”
‘I learnt a lot while doing reality shows’
Vishal, who has impressed audiences in reality shows like Nach Baliye 9, Bigg Boss 13 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 too, says that all these shows taught him a lot. He shares, “These shows taught me a lot about life. Several of my co-contestants on these shows were big names and I learnt a lot by merely observing them. Khatron Ke Khiladi taught me a very important life lesson; instead of thinking about winning or losing, it’s more important to try something new. Bigg Boss was a game changer too. It taught me that you never know life mein suddenly reality kis tarah se aap ke samne aayegi, you need to be prepared for it.”
‘Good content will always have takers on every medium’
The actor recently completed shooting for his first OTT project and while the medium excites him, he feels that it does not pose any threat to TV. He says, “As an actor, the medium doesn’t matter for me and I am only looking for good content. The problem in our country is that jab hum koi bhi nayi cheez banate hai, aur wo beekti hai, toh saara market udhar hi chala jaata hai. Eventually, everyone starts doing similar things and then, the industry suffers. But those who actually know how to make shows/films and are clear in their heads will succeed in any medium.”
He adds, “Due to the pandemic, a lot of people said that audiences won’t go back to the theatres once they reopened but we have seen some blockbusters in the last few months, isn’t it? I don’t think OTT platforms are a threat to television. Good content will always have takers on every medium and that is why shows like Udaariyaan, Anupamaa, Imlie and Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin have been liked by the audience.”
‘I had to struggle a lot, but I enjoyed the process’
Vishal, who hails from Bihar and recently completed 11 years in showbiz, says that while he had to struggle a lot, he never got disheartened. He tells us, “Initially, when I came to Mumbai, I had to struggle for money. I knew nothing about acting and my Hindi was quite bad. But I was focused on achieving my dream and all these things seemed like small obstacles. I worked on myself and enjoyed the entire process. I am a very competitive guy and I can vouch for the fact that hard work can beat talent. I owe a lot to Ashish Sharma and Archana Taide (actors) because they were of great help when I was struggling.”
‘Personally, I am in a much better space’
After he broke up with actressMadhurima Tuli, things had turned ugly and their fights on national television were widely discussed on social media. However, Vishal says that he has well and truly moved on and wants to focus on his career. “It’s not like I wasn’t focused on work when I was in a relationship. But when you have done quality work in your career, it feels bad when people only discuss your personal life and refer to you as someone’s ex after a break-up. But personally, I am in a much better space now and want to focus on my career,” he says.
