Rajiv Khandelwal adopts a child

MUMBAI: Television's favourite pin-up guy Rajiv Khandelwal is on a paternity high after adopting a five-year-old girl.

"I really don't want to make a public declaration of this. I've kept it a secret. But I guess it's bound to be out. Her name is Swati and I adopted her because I love kids, especially little girls," Rajiv said.

"I saw her picture and fell in love with her face. I adopted her from an institute called Muskaan. Technically, it's called sponsorship. But to me she's my daughter," he added.

Does he fear that the adopted child may come between him and his own children, if and when he has them some day? "Why should it? To me there's no difference between my biological child and Swati."

"I'm not sure Swati knows who I am. Each time she's asked, she shyly says I'm on TV."

About his show 'Left Right Left', Rajiv said, "The pleasure of wearing an army uniform made me sign 'Left Right Left'. I always wanted to be in the army. It was my chance to make my dream come true."

"Unfortunately, the show isn't as olive green as I'd have liked it to be. I guess I'm enjoying the content. The army isn't easy to portray on the small screen. We need to work even harder."

Rajiv agreed that 'Left Right Left' hasn't carried forward his popularity as Sujal on Ektaa Kapoor's soap 'Kahiin To Hoga'.

"But give it time. The popularity of Sujal doesn't happen every day. If history is created everyday, it becomes hysteria. I find myself improving as an actor. I feel good about my performance on 'Left Right Left'. I'd still like to do sparing work. As long as my financial needs are taken care of, I'd rather do work I believe in."

How come there are no link-up stories between Rajiv and his 'Left Right Left' co-star Shweta Salve?

"Good question. I guess people are too busy talking about Amna Sharif and my friendship to link me with someone else. My friendship with Amna remains consistent, not a casualty of all the gossip and speculation.

"I keep reading these stories about my co-stars like Ghazal Rai and Deep Rana thinking highly of me. Frankly, I'm embarrassed by such incidents, like there was this story of an airhostess taking my autograph mid-air."

"I take my success, for whatever it's worth, very seriously. But it doesn't make me cautious about taking new steps in my life and career," he added.