Vishwajeet Pradhan: I stayed away from TV for 20 years, it was a mistake!

Actor Vishwajeet Pradhan, who started his career on TV, stayed away from it for nearly two decades after switching to films. He later realised it was a mistake and returned to TV with the show Maryada in 2010. He believes playing a mythological character in his new show Shiv Shakti brings more responsibility and says that the role and the people he works with are of utmost importance, regardless of the medium. Pradhan will also be seen in the third season of Aarya and in Nagesh Kukunoor?s Trail of an Assassin.

Actor Vishwajeet Pradhan started his acting career on the small screen but after switching to films he chose to stay away from TV which he later realised was a mistake.

Actor Vishwajeet Pradhan on his visit to HT Lucknow office. (Deep Saxena/HT)

He was last seen on TV in Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story (2020), which went off air when the pandemic broke. “I started my career with TV show Fauji (1989) so I got my break from TV itself. Then Firoz Khan saheb gave me a film break in Yalgaar (1992). In those days, ek dhaarna thi ki TV actors chotey hote hain! In that galatfehmi (misunderstanding) I did not do TV for nearly two decades despite getting good offers. Also, I was busy with films. When I restarted TV with Maryada (2010), I realised my mistake,” says the actor on his visit to HT office.

He explains, “We villains and character artistes get attracted doing films but working with big artistes (heroes) you often don’t get big roles or sometimes it gets cut or many times the film doesn’t work. Whereas, in TV you get to work on your role (character) and it gets noticed. Initially or when one is ‘struggling’ it’s fine but what matters most is what you are doing in the project! With OTT, now the situation is even better for actors like us! Series Aarya (2020) gave me lot of love where every actor made a mark.”

The actor plays a character of Daksh in his new TV show Shiv Shakti and he feels playing mythological character brings more responsibility. “When you are a part of a project in which people have belief then it brings a sense of responsibility. You can’t go wrong and take creative liberty beyond a point and these days people get offended about just anything!”

Besides, the third season of Aarya, he will be also seen in Nagesh Kukunoor’s Trail of an Assassin where he has essayed the role of former Prime Minister late Chandrashekar.

On coming back to the state capital, he says, “This time, I have come to Lucknow after a long time. I belong to Meerut and have studied at Allahabad University, so I am very much from the region. I have done lot of theatre and shooting as well. Gadar: Ek Love Story (2001) has been the biggest project I had done here. Last, I was here for an election campaign.”