AGAINST THE TIDE

RAJEEV KHANDELWAL has always trusted his instincts and has sailed where his heart led him. He shares his survival mantras with SRIJANI ROY CHOWDHURY

- SRIJANI ROY CHOWDHURY

Rajeev Khandelwal is running behind schedule. He is, as most actors are, caught up in a long line of interviews. But when my slot opens up, there is no rush or distraction. He has the same steady enthusiasm as he settles into yet another conversation. The next few minutes are spent in an unfiltered interaction. It is not a rehearsed reflection on a 25-year career but a truthful look at an actor who has never believed in playing the long game by the rules. The series Amar Vishwas came to him at a point in his journey when he wanted to do something new. For him, the decision had little to do with strategy and everything to do with instinct. "I don't think this is going to be the right choice for my career. I always think that it is going to be the right choice for me. I have never been calculative. I mean, you tend to do that subconsciously. But it has never been about constructing my career. It is about following my gut," he says, drawing a clear line between external perception and internal conviction.

That instinct was triggered almost immediately when he learnt that the show was adapted from a novel written 25 years ago. Curious, he asked for the gist, only to discover that the story revolved around the casting couch. The realisation struck him on two levels. On the one hand, it reaffirmed how long such practices have existed within the industry; on the other, it left him deeply impressed by the writer's courage. "The book it has been adapted from was written 25 years ago, so it must have been prevalent back in the day too. I was amazed that the writer could write something so boldly. When I realised that they are making a series out of it, I was instantly interested," he recalls.