JOIN US'Movies with human connection inspire me'
There are only a few television actors who have marked their presence on the big screen and one amongst them is Rajeev Khandelwal, who became eye candy with his first TV soap Kahin to Hoga. He hogged the limelight with Raj Kumar Gupta’s Aamir, a critically acclaimed film.
Proving the mettle of his talent in Shaitan, Soundtrack and Will You Marry Me, the actor is once again ready to hit the silver screen with his upcoming film Table No. 21, directed by Aditya Datt.
“The movie is an exciting thriller. I play the character of Vivian, who along with his wife Siya (Tenea Desae) get a chance to spend holidays at the beautiful islands of Fiji. They are invited to dine at Fiji’s finest resort run by Mr Khan (Paresh Rawal), who offers them a whooping amount of Rs 21 crore to play and win a ‘truth game’. Thereafter, a series of events makes the game interesting and will send shiver down your spine,” says Rajeev, in a candid chat with Metrolife.
Calling it as a challenging role, Rajeev says, “When I read the script it scared me whether I will be able to do justice or not. I took it as a challenge and went ahead with my ideology to portray different characters on screen.”
So, did he quit a TV show at the peak of his success and take a risk with a small-budget movie Aamir, due to this ideology? “Be it television or the big screen, I have always tried to experiment and never bound myself to certain type of roles. With every project I want to shatter preconceived notions about me. That is why I did TV shows and movies together and would continue to do so.”
Quiz him for his inclination towards offbeat films, the 37-year-old actor says, “Offbeat cinema is about reality. They create an attachment with audiences which remain etched in their memories for long. I am inspired by movies which have some human connection.”
Rajeev, who believes in creating an emotional attachment with the audiences, says, “I am not being modest but everyone around me is special to me. They have significance in life and therefore I respect them. I try to understand their lives and maintain bond with them. You can say, I am gripped with this inborn attitude to maintain connectivity with people from all walks of life.”
Is it the reason behind Rajeev’s magic on screen? “You can say so as it definitely impacts my overall identity and the same is reflected while enacting different roles. Experiencing emotions of others make you evolve personally and professionally too.”
Recalling his journey after spending a decade in the industry, Rajeev says, “It has been satisfying. It brings smile on my face when I see people acknowledging my work.”