Sharad Malhotra: TV actors work twice as hard than Bollywood actors

Actor Sharad Malhotra says television will always remain his first love, adding that he can’t compare small screen with big screen.

Actor Sharad Malhotra has recently wrapped up fantasy drama series, Naagin 5, and now, is yearning to explore other mediums. While he surely wants to make a transition, he is quick to state that it doesn’t mean he will quit television.

Actor Sharad Malhotra made his Bollywood debut in 2012 with From Sydney With Love

“As an actor, I want to see myself in different mediums. I’ve been seeing myself on television for the last 15 years,” says Malhotra, adding that his love for television will always be there.

“It’s my bread and butter. It has given me an identity. People know me because of the small screen. How can I call it downmarket or how can I say that it is not as great as compared to cinema?,” asserts the 38-year-old.

The actor, who first came into spotlight through a talent hunt show in 2004, doesn’t approve of the comparisons between television and films.

“Cinema is a different ball game altogether. It’s larger than life, while television is a small little box. We’re trying to sell dreams and make shows which people watch while sitting in the comfort of their homes,” he explains.

“And let me tell you, working on television is a lot of hard work. For instance, I work 11 hours or 12 hours a day. A television actor probably works twice as hard than a Bollywood actor. And that’s because you play the same character for 365 days, yet you give your best shot every time,” he tells us.

Having said that, Malhotra did have his tryst with the big screen when he after tasting success on TV, he went on to try his luck in Bollywood, and did films such as From Sydney With Love (2012) and Ek Tera Saath (2016). However, turned out to be a damp affair on the box office.

“I’m not ashamed of that fact. I tried, and I gave it my best shot. A lot of hard work went into it, but it did not turn out to be as I expected to be,” he shares.

Till now, he’s harbouring a dream of coming on the big screen. “But that doesn’t mean I will quit television. I also want to explore OTT format, but, TV will always be my first love,” he ends.