"Anurag Basu is as good in television, as he is in films": Mishal Raheja

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Mishal Raheja is a happy-go-lucky boy who has got the opportunity to work with Anurag Basu - one of best directors in the industry today - for his first television venture 'Love Story'. He started his glamour career with MTV and is on the small screen now. He aspires to be in Bollywood soon, but is presently concentrating on his present assignment. Here is an excerpt from tete-a-tete we had recently.

Is this your first venture in television?
No, it is actually my second venture in television. The first one was for MTV show 'Pyaar Vyar' and 'All That'.

How is your experience in this serial?
It has been a pretty good experience so far. Each day is a different and resourceful experience for me. I'm lucky to be working with such great people like Anurag Basu. What else can I ask for at such a young age.

How has been your experience with Anurag Basu?
Oh, he is a fabulous director. He is as good in television, as he is in films. I could not get a better director to work with. He is the best learning school for a new comer. He is a very easy going person and knows how to extract the best from his actors.

So would you like to work with him in a film too?
Why not? I would certainly love to work with him. I want to work in films together. I think that television is a mere stepping stone. Any actor from television would always want to get into films and would be lying if they said that they did not want to.

Tell us something about your character?
My character's name is Akash and he is a very reserved kind of a guy. He has two friends and does not need anyone else. His father had died when he was around six years old and thus is an extremely rowdy guy. He has such characteristics, but then he is not a bad guy. He is a back bencher, but does not hurt anyone. He is one such guy who does not like injustice and thus the police are running behind him because he had put up a fight with some other guys. All this is happening in his life just because of a girl.

How did 'Love Story' happen to you?
I guess they had seen me in MTV's show and that is how I was selected for the role.

How well are you being able to relate to your character?
(Laughs) I'm not at all like Akash in real life. I'm a happy-go-lucky person who just cannot keep quiet. For every actor the first few days are a little difficult to get into the skin of the character and it also happened with me. But now I'm comfortable playing my character.

How is your rapport with your co-stars?
I'm really glad that I have got such talented and good co-stars to work with. There is always something happening on the sets.

Any incident you would like to share with us?
Actually, every day is an incident (laughs). Yet, I remember the first day of the shooting when Harsh Chaya and I had to roll down the stairs and we did the stunt ourselves. It was the first time that I was doing a stunt and was nervous at the first take. However, after every take I gained in confidence and completed the sequence.