Actor Pranav Misshra upbeat about his new TV show

Right now I am just focusing on this show as I know it can lead me to other projects in future, says Pranav

From mom’s chubby ‘sundar beta’ (handsome son) to a chiseled body hunk, it took actor Pranav Misshra eight years to get his first lead role in television.

Actor Pranav Misshra on his first visit to Lucknow. (Dheeraj Dhawan/HT Photo)

“My father is a Vaidya, so he wanted me to become a doctor. But I wanted to become a pilot which eventually did not happen. I completed my post graduation but destiny had something else in store for me,” tells the actor during his visit to Lucknow on Tuesday for promotion of his new show Aisi Deewangi Dekhi Nahi Kahin.

On friend’s advice, he participated in Mr Jaipur and won the title. “I tried my luck in Mr Rajasthan and there too I won Best Personality title. I came to Mumbai for the all-India leg but found myself nowhere in front of my competitors. So, I prepared for a year and finally won Mr India Universe title in 2010,” he says.

Pranav started doing modeling and enrolled himself in Anupam Kher’s acting school to learn the art. “I was fully focused that acting is what I have to do and nothing else. I did theatre, nukkad-naataks, gave numerous auditions and slowly started getting roles. I did Girls on Top and Time Out on MTV, first season of Naagin and Jodha Akbar where I played Akbar’s younger brother,” he says.

“I was giving auditions and many a time I was very close to bagging a lead role. Then I realized that I need to shed that ‘mom’s sundar boy’ image and work on my body. I rigorously worked on it and got this show in which I also needed to be bare chest in a scene. Everything happened on the right time but it took eight years,” says Pranav.

The actor is upbeat about his quirky show. “Right now I am just focusing on this show as I know it can lead me to other projects in future. Aisi Deewangi…is a very different show where everything in extreme — love, passion, emotions, manipulation or revenge. Viewers will find it interesting as it’s every unpredictable. It’s not a finite show but makers have a set storyline in hand and hope it continues as it is planned.”

The actor also tasted Bada Mangal prasaad on his first visit to Lucknow. “This is my first visit to the city and I saw hundreds of pandals serving prasad so how can I miss the opportunity to taste it. Chaat and kulfi is also on my radaar and I want to buy chikankari dresses for my mom,” he says.