Rajesh Khera who will be seen in a negative role in Zee5 premium’s new show “Ishq Aaj Kal”. The actor is fond of playing dark roles. He says “Dark is the new cool and I like that at the moment”. In a candid chat with us Rajesh shares why he is fond of playing dark roles…
Expresso: Why did you say ‘yes’ for ‘Ishq Aaj Kal’?
Rajesh: If you have seen the show then you will understand that the amount of emotions which a person has, my character Javed got to play over here. I think after ages I got a chance to show my acting skills in the show. My director was a very good person, and no doubt chose some great scenes and dialogues for me. The support which I received from him as well as my co-actors was undoubtedly very good. Also, the character which I am playing is quite different as Javed has a blend of both positive and negative characters. So, due to all these reasons, I chose ‘Ishq Aaj Kal’.
Expresso: Do you relate yourself with Javed?
Rajesh: Well, I don’t bring my role back to my house. Once I am on set I become Javed and after finishing with the shoot I become Rajesh. All I know is the director has given me an amazing role to play, and I will give my best to my character.
Expresso: Are you fond of playing negative roles?
Rajesh: Honestly, most of the time I have received offer only for dark characters, and if you ask me then these kinds of roles are not that tough. If you notice carefully then you will understand that negative roles come with various shades, whereas the positive roles are quite predictive. Drama is one of the significant parts of a negative role which does mean that it comes with different layers and shades. I think that positive roles are quite boring.
Expresso: What is the most challenging part of ‘Ishq Aaj Kal’?
Rajesh: The role that I am playing in the show is quite difficult. Whenever he suffers any setback, it seems that his actual truth will come out. Javed has many shades and layers, and the real part of him always remains hidden which does create a thrill. So, I can say that Javed can be said that he is an out and out villain. Viewers might think that he is a real villain, but for his family, he is a saint. You can say that he is the actual example of a tricky character.
Expresso: How was your experience while shooting for ‘Ishq Aaj Kal’?
Rajesh: Actually, for the first time I am playing the role of a father on the show. Most of the times I have played negative characters and never did I imagine that I will play the role of a father. Honestly, when the shoot began I was not at all comfortable with the character. But, then Angad and Puneet suggested to me that I should feel the character, and let it sink in inside of me. When delivering the lines, try to induce some substance so that you can feel the character. In the beginning, I was not being able to accept the fact that I am playing the role of a father. Even my director supported me a lot throughout the shoot, which I appreciate.
Expresso: Out of all the characters that you played which are your favourite?
Rajesh: You might have seen my recent film ‘Satyameva Jayate’ with John Abraham. In the film, I played the role of a bad and corrupt cop, and if you notice carefully then, you will understand that the role was quite a dark character. So, I received a lot of compliments from people for that character. Suppose, you get a negative role in a film. After watching the movie if people use hate comments for you then you will know that your role and your acting is a success. If you ask me about any recent character which is my favourite then, definitely it would be Jadhav. Back in the year 2011, I played a gay designer in ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’ which is a sweet character.
Expresso: What kind of web shows you are looking forward to at present?
Rajesh: Recently, I am looking forward to SarCar Ki Seva Mei which is directed by Shreyas Talpade.
Expresso: Describe yourself in three words.
Rajesh: I would say a dreamer, achiever, and gullible
