Akashdeep's Bollywood dreams

Akashdeep Saigal is a multi-faceted personality ��� TV artiste, film actor, model, sound engineer, winner of Gladrags Manhunt contest, supermodel of the year 1998 and documentary filmmaker.
Better known as the evil Ansh Gujral, who is killed by his own mother, Tulsi in the TV soap, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, he now plays the deadly villain in KV Anand's action entertainer, Ayan.On a sabbatical from television for the past six months, Akashdeep opens up in his first interview in six months on Ayan, his first film down south ...
You have been keeping an extremely low profile for the last few months. Why?
I took a break from television to re-launch my career in Bollywood. However, I want to carry on in TV. After the kind of recognition that I got playing Ansh, I want to play characters that have a wide reach. So, I���ve become very choosy and am waiting for serials in which I have meaty roles.
The grapevine has it that you are looking for hero roles in Bollywood. Please comment.
I���m a baccha (child) in Bollywood where I have done just two films, Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi and Supari. Now, I���m open to doing more films, whether as hero or in strong negative roles. To be honest, who doesn���t like to do the good-guy roles?
Like all prominent Hindi character actors such as Sayyaji Shinde, Irfan Khan, Rahul Dev, are you planning to migrate to south with Ayan?
(Laughs) No way. Actually, when KV Anand narrated the script of Ayan, it got me hooked. It was a completely new experience for me and I loved every moment of it. The producer, AVM, is one of the biggest banners here and I was told that guys, who had played the role of baddies in their films like Kalabhavan Mani (Gemini) and Suman (Sivaji) had become popular.
Tell us about your role in the film...
I play Kamlesh, a Marwadi businessman living in Sowcarpet in north Madras teeming with Gujaratis, Marawaris and Sindhis, who speak Tamil with a north Indian accent. The guy is all negative in his attitude, and has bad vibes with the hero (Surya). He plays a cat and mouse game with the hero, as he is power hungry. Kamlesh, I would say, has some similarities with Ansh, as they have an evil mindset and both of them want to be successful in their ventures by hook or crook. It is a very strong negative character and I had a ball doing it. I should mention about Ajay Kapoor here. Ajay is a Tamil television artiste, who like me plays negative roles. He has dubbed for me in Ayan.
How was it working with Surya and KV Anand?
They are complete professionals. I have not met a hero like Surya, who is so humble and
down-to-earth, and his performance is fantastic. Later, Anand told me that our confrontation scenes are not only gritty but look real. Anand is a gifted director and understands the
importance of the script. He is going to go places after this film.
How was your shooting experience in Chennai?
When we started the shoot in the studios and a few outdoor locations, nobody bothered to take a second look at me. They must have thought that I was some unemployed guy from Mumbai. But the moment we shifted the location to Sowcarpet area, I was mobbed by ladies and kids. They were shouting Ansh and wanted my
autograph. And during breaks, some of them sent me excellent Gujarati and Rajasthani food. I went back and told my mom that I had a great time in Chennai.
Are you open to more south films?
First, I want Ayan to be a big hit and then will take the call depending on the roles. I���m also on the verge of signing two big Bollywood projects, which I can���t reveal at the moment.