A role model -- RAHUL BHAT

He’s seen success with his very first serial Henna. A model-turned-actor, Rahul Bhat is also doing Cincinnati Bublaboo, a comedy. However, it is goodbye to small screen as the actor has been snapped up by film producers ...

Henna and Cincinnati Bublaboo are two serials currently on air that have Rahul Bhat in the main lead. While Henna has brought him recognition as a selfish husband, Cincinnati Bublaboo has him playing the role of a salesman in a shopping mall. "The two characters are quite a contrast. Having no acting background, I had to pick up the nuances of acting with my debut serial Henna and my character has been liked by all but me. I am not at all selfish and self-centered like Sameer, the character I play in Henna," laughs the model-turned-actor.

Rahul began his career in modelling in 1998-99. Having migrated from Kashmir in the 90’s, where he used to do amateur theatre in school, Rahul settled in Mumbai before spending some time in Delhi. He soon found himself doing a lot of ramp shows. "Modelling, I guess, just happened to me because I was six feet tall and people said I looked good. I have modelled for a lot of popular products before Henna happened to me," informs the good looking actor.

Talking about Henna, he says, he got the role by sheer chance. Producer Rakhi Tandon who was casting for the serial wasn’t getting anyone of her choice for the role of Sameer. Says Rahul, "She wanted someone who could carry the serial on his shoulders because it was his story, about his relationships with his girlfriend, his wife, parents and his relatives. Rakhi needed a newcomer but at the same time someone very strong as an actor.

When she saw me, she says she knew I would not betray her. Although I wasn’t that convincing in the beginning, she had the confidence in me. Henna has been the turning point in my career. After that I have never looked back and am getting TV as well as film offers every day."

But the actor is not very keen on taking on too much work and claims to have refused about 60 offers so far. "I was being offered lead roles and from good TV banners but since Henna was doing very well, I didn’t want too much of exposure. I was being paid well and as an actor I was growing day by day. So I decided that if I take up any more offers, it has to be good quality work," he states without hesitating to add that like any aspiring actor, he doesn’t want to be a part of the small screen. "I wanted to become a film actor. In my case, TV has become a classroom for me. Actually I am against acting schools. I believe that acting is a passion. So I took it up as a subject and bought a lot of books on acting. And when I put it into practice, I thought I managed to do a pretty good job. You see, nothing can beat practical knowledge which is very important," feels Rahul. He’s probably on the way to fulfiling his desire of being a film actor as he’s been signed as a hero for films.

Though he’s reluctant to talk about his films as yet, he’s only too happy to elaborate on the character he’s playing in Henna. "Sameer is completely different from me. He is a complexed character, totally confused. There are times when doing certain scenes, as Rahul, I feel Sameer is not doing the right thing. And I have to convince and literally drag myself to do what my character Sameer wants to do. What I am trying to say is that being an actor, at times it is very difficult to adjust to certain things," explains Rahul.

All the same, he’s happy with the outcome ’cause he’s observed that while people hate Sameer, they love Rahul as an actor. "I wanted to portray the character of a helpless human being and not a baddie and I have succeeded greatly. There are people who sympathise with Sameer also. That has been a greatest achievement for me as an actor," quips Rahul.

His role in Cincinnati Bublaboo is totally opposite to the one he’s playing in Henna. "It is a comedy. I wanted to do something very different from Henna and Cincinnati ... has managed to get me there. People have begun accepting me as Amit Mehra too. I was told that once an image is formed, you are typecast for life. When I began to be known as Sameer, many said now you’ll be Sameer throughout your life. But with Cincinnati ..., I discovered it was not so and I managed to succeed in playing that role too," beams Rahul.

Rakhi Tandon, who is producing both Henna and Cincinnati Bublaboo, is full of praises for her hero. According to her, Rahul Bhat is the best born actor in the world. He is a sweetest guy, very accommodating with no hassles at all. "I have seen so many people changing after success, but this is one guy who is still the same. He is very down-to-earth. I, as a producer, would advice everyone to go for guys like Rahul mainly because life becomes easy working with him. The icing on the cake is that he is a fantastic actor, fantastic performer, good looker and has a fantastic screen presence. He is the best. And I really mean it." And Rahul has never let her down.

Acting has been a passion for Rahul since childhood. But he never thought he would taste success so soon. It happened so fast that he didn’t see it coming till it actually happened. Now he is too scared "as I do not wish to lose my ground because I know that things that happen fast tend to slip away even faster." On a philosophical note, he says, "I believe in one principle that if one’s neeyat is good, he has to achieve success. Of course, hard work, intelligence and IQ also play an important part."

Remembering his days in Kashmir, Rahul goes on a nostalgic trip. He would have loved if he had achieved this success while he was still living there. Says, Rahul, "My people back home would have loved to have an actor in their midst. We have a large family and my neighbours too would have loved to meet me. Today they are all happy for me and watch my serials religiously.

Unfortunately, all of us are scattered now and have accepted the situation as we had to face it someday. I love Kashmir but it is sad that I can’t go there. That is the only dejection in my life. I would have loved to enjoy my success with my own people."

Namita Nivas

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