Mohit Raina has been stationed in Umargaon since the last six months ,shooting for his upcoming serial 21 Sarfarosh: Saragarhi 1897 in which he plays Havildar Ishar Singh. The actor, who became a TV hearthrob with his outing as Shiva in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev has undergone a complete transformation. He has grown a long beard, put on a little weight and looks a far cry from the handsome God he played. “The way people have seen me till now, this was a shocker for them and I am thrilled,” says Mohit.
His last outing as King Ashoka in the historical Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat did not garner good ratings and the show wound up within five months of his entry. Ask him what went wrong with Ashoka, which was popular before his entry, and he says, “The child actor had played the role for 18-20 months and won appreciation. Also, all the stories of Ashoka were explored with him and there was nothing much left for the older character, which I played for five months,” he reasons.
Does that mean he will no longer accept shows that are already on air? “I will avoid them,” he confesses. Is he also deliberately staying away from social soaps and choosing period dramas? “It’s not a plan, but these stories are finite, characters are well-etched and basic structure is there. You don’t have to do research, wait for the feedback from the audience and work on it on a day-to-day basis, as the story is already there. It becomes easier as there is a graph, and is interesting to portray,” he says adding that it was the character and the entire story that drew him to Saragarhi. “They were soldiers under the British rule, the underdogs who were not looked at as doing something extraordinary, but when the time comes and they get an opportunity, they show their true strength, which is incredible. I didn’t want to miss the chance of being a part of such a serial,” he elaborates.
It’s uncanny that a film Kesari starring Akshay Kumar and the serial are happening around the same time. In fact, Mohit’s look and Akshay’s look were also out almost simulatenously. Won’t there be a comparison? “Both are different mediums. This Saragarhi event happened in one day, we have stretched the story to 1400 hours and the film will have over a two-hour duration. Both the perspectives will be different and unique in their own way. As for the look, Akshay’s is of that era considering the perfectionist that he is,” says Mohit.
Wasn’t he tempted to take up a film after Devon Ke Devon Mahadev ? “I had a lot of offers, but nothing interested me then. But now people are taking up different subjects and the space has become interesting. After this show, I will take up a film,” he says.
Besides his professional life, the actor has also been in the news for dating Mouni Roy, though the two haven’t ever admitted to it. Recently, the Naagin actress shared a picture of Mohit in his Havildar avatar with the caption, “Can’t wait. xx (Sic)” But Mohit shrugs it off saying, “She is a dear friend of mine and she shared the promo. The rumours will go on, but right now all are focusing on work and there is nothing to talk about.”
