After a hiatus of six years, actor Karan Wahi found his perfect TV comeback in Yash Patnaik and Mamta Patnaik's new show, 'Channa Mereya'. Wahi, who plays the titular role of Aditya Raj Singh in it, sounded excited while talking about his experience of being part of the romantic family drama.
"'Channa Mereya' is an apt title. The song was really popular, so I think it helps considering there is a resonance value to it. I hope we can live up to the expectations of the song and the meaning of this phrase," he said.
Wahi is known for hosting the show 'Nach Baliye', 'Indian Idol' and 'India's Next Superstars'. He made his Bollywood debut with a supporting role in Habib Faisal's romantic comedy 'Daawat-e-Ishq' and later also worked in 'Hate Story 4'.
He shared that his character Aditya Raj Singh has mostly lived all his life in Canada, away from his family,
"He and his father don't get along. So, there is a lot of angst and a lot of hatred that he has toward his father and step mom. He is a chef by profession and is very good at it. I think it's too early for me to actually relate to the character because I'm a completely different human being, but I think as time passes there will be facets of him that'll match my real self and vice versa," he added.
Many prominent actors are playing pivotal roles in the show and the actor is happy to have collaborated with them.
"There are many eminent names with whom I have never collaborated before. So, it's always good to work with different actors and when there is a good assemble, things get easy work wise. Also, everyone is professional and knows their job well. You tend to build a relationship with all of them on the set, considering you spend more time with them. It's a nice experience," he said.
About the changes he has witnessed in the entertainment industry over the years, Wahi pointed out, "I think the television industry still remains great as it was. However, the entertainment industry in general has changed a lot.
"From big theatres to television shows and now OTT and digital boom, we have come a long way. Also, now, everything is on your phone. I feel grateful that I'm still relevant after being in the industry for 18 years. I think reinventing yourself by doing different things in different mediums helps a lot and that's what has nurtured my career too," he said.
The actor added that daily soaps will always have an audience no matter what, as a major chunk of India is still hooked to television shows.
"I think television shows are here to stay. Even the pandemic did not affect the working of these shows, and an eventful aspect of the situation was that television people found a way to shoot and reach out to their audiences. Today, because of OTT, people can watch these shows online as well.
"So, the reach has only increased and will keep on increasing. Creativity and everything else depends on work and I think television is a medium that works well. People still watch and talk about shows, and I feel it will only become bigger and better," he signed off.
[With Inputs From IANS]
