Reality shows were about good job earlier, now it is just popularity: Gaurav Chopra

Gaurav, who has worked on multiple shows at a given time, believes that actors need a legacy going forward. "Back then, we’d get offers for reality shows because we had done good work. Today, it happens if you are a current hit on TV," says the actor.

Actor Gaurav Chopraa, who has completed 10 years in the TV industry, marked the occasion with his birthday on April 4.

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"When I look back, I realise that some things worked, and others didn’t. Two generations of actors have gone by in the last decade. The shelf life of TV actors has reduced drastically," he says.

According to Gaurav, nowadays, newcomers are put on a pedestal by channels and producers, which end up promoting the actors while actually promoting just their shows.

"(These actors) feel they’ve arrived. In their young, inexperienced heads, they are stars. But many don’t even get a second chance after their debut show; or they leave decent shows in the hope of something better," he says, adding, "You need to be a respected actor to become a star, and to get that respect, you need four-five hit shows and get a loyal fan following. When I joined, there were many actors who are not around anymore."

Gaurav, who has worked on multiple shows at a given time, believes that actors need a legacy going forward. "Back then, we’d get offers for reality shows because we had done good work. Today, it happens if you are a current hit on TV," says the actor.

He explains, "In a way, if the young actors get fame early, they burn out faster. I’m not looking down upon anyone, but I feel the scenario is unfortunate. They’ve been put on a pedestal and most of them don’t understand that their journey has just started."