Vishal Karwal who had been away from the TV scene for quite some time is back on Rangrasiya as a man looking to avenge his brother’s death. Determined to settle scores, Shantanu (Vishal’s role in the show) is eccentric, unpredictable yet focused. And Vishal is having a lot of fun in making his character thoroughly deplorable. The actor says, “I’ve always played positive roles in the past, including that of Lord Krishna. But I’ve realised being bad is so much more fun. While being positive you always need to control your body language; you can’t laugh too much and need to look good all the time. Negative characters are free to go mad, wicked and do whatever they wish.”
Vishal joined the cast six months after the show was first telecast. He believes it’s his amiable nature that helped him gel with a closely functioning unit. “I hardly watch Indian shows, so I hadn’t watched Rangrasiya. I had watched the promos, which I found to be interesting. I am a friendly person, not just with actors but spotboys and anyone else on the sets too. I make sure I try to get along with everyone,” says Vishal.
He may be the bad guy on the show that is popular for its riveting drama and intensity. Between shoots though, Vishal has a tough time holding back his laughter when he’s sitting around with Sanaya Irani and Ashish Sharma, who play pivotal roles in the show. “I have been spending time trying to bond with everyone including Sanaya and Ashish. They have a huge fan following but are humble and fun, unlike their characters that are serious all the time. We love cracking jokes and generally indulge in some or the other light-hearted conversation. This really helps the environment on the sets,” he adds.
That works very well in helping him concentrate on his character and how he wishes to essay it. He admits to the irony in being affable to focus on vengeance, but clearly the chemistry is working out for him on screen. Speaking about playing Shantanu, Vishal says, “He is going to bring in all the (unpleasant) twists in Rudra (Ashish) and Paro’s (Sanaya) lives. I really cannot divulge more information than this but rest assured that Shantanu’s antics will shock the audience and definitely make them hate him. His character is edgy and the audience can expect a lot of grief in the lives of Rudra and Paro, thanks to him.”
For an actor who started out as a contestant on a reality show and then went on to sign films before making a villainous comeback on TV, an overriding feeling while ascertaining assignments is that of adventure. So will he still be open to reality TV offers? Vishal says, “I want to do something like Fear Factor. Most of the other reality shows tend to get monotonous.”
He made an exception for Rangrasiya because the character he was offered really caught his attention. “I have worked with producer Saurabh Tewari in the past and when he approached me with the role, I could not refuse. I am required for some months after which I will concentrate only on films. I have 1920 London releasing soon. Then I start shooting for another film at by end of January. I am also working on a Punjabi film.”
Vishal is said to be tentatively working on the show for six months, subject to the response his role receives and how well the makers manage to improve his story arc. Let’s hope he manages to hold the audience’s interest with more dramatised uncertainty.
