Mangal Lakshmi Star Naman Shaw Talks About Monsoon Memories, Mumbai Rains, & The Chaos Of Shooting In The Rain

Actor Naman Shaw, who was last seen as Adit Saxena in Mangal Lakshmi, is all about the monsoon feels. With Mumbai already welcoming the rains, the actor gets candid about his love for the season.

For Naman, rains instantly take him back to his Kolkata childhood. "I always remember the rainy days from my childhood. We used to live on the third floor, and whenever our gali would fill up with rainwater, we'd make paper boats and toss them from the balcony," he recalls. "All my cousins and I would stand there watching them float away, cheering and waiting to see whose boat reached the end first. It felt like our own little race every monsoon. That's one of my fondest childhood memories."

The actor calls rain his favorite season, and Mumbai's monsoon holds a special place. "Rain is my favorite season, and I absolutely love the Mumbai rains," he says. "Whenever I'm not shooting and I'm at home, the rain makes me feel so relaxed and lazy-in the best way possible. I don't feel like doing anything. I just sit by my big French window, and since my house is surrounded by trees, the view during the monsoon is absolutely beautiful. I love spending those quiet moments with a cup of garma garam chai and some crispy bhajiyas. For me, there's nothing better than a rainy evening like that."

Ask him about rain songs and Naman has a fun pick. "Well, it's definitely not my favorite rain song, but if I ever have to perform a song in front of the mirror, it has to be Dekho Baarish Ho Rahi Hai -just so I can mimic Anu Malik. I find him absolutely hilarious! Somehow, the moment I think of Anu Malik, this song instantly comes to mind."

Romantic rain sequences may look dreamy, but Naman says the reality is different. "The thought of shooting a romantic sequence in the rain definitely excites me. There's something truly magical about the rain," he admits. "Before the shoot, we're all excited, and once it begins, it's a lot of fun. But after a few hours, the real challenge starts because shooting in the rain isn't easy at all. Your hair and makeup go for a toss, and even delivering your dialogues becomes difficult because the rainwater keeps getting into your mouth. So while it looks beautiful on screen, there are actually a lot of challenges that come with shooting in the rain."

Naman also confesses that rain shoots used to mean one thing: hair trouble. "The moment someone says there's a rain sequence, my first thought is, 'Oh my God, my hair is going to be a mess!'" he laughs. "These days I'm a lot more relaxed about it, but 10-15 years ago, I was extremely particular about how my hair looked on camera. In fact, people used to call me 'Baal Kalakar' because I was so obsessed with getting my hair just right! When you're constantly thinking about your hair, your focus shifts away from the character. Thankfully, I've learned to let go of that over the years and focus more on the performance now."

Naman rose to fame with major supporting roles in iconic Balaji Telefilms shows. He played Nakul Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Pushkar Shukla in Kasamh Se, and Nihaal Garewal in Kasautii Zindagii Kay.