Exclusive - Kundali Bhagya's Dheeraj Dhoopar on his offscreen chemistry with Shraddha Arya, pay cut, family planning, and more

Kundali Bhagya's Dheeraj Dhoopar has been in the industry for nearly 10-11 years. The actor recently did a music video with Hina Khan, Humko Tum Mil Gaye, and it has topped the chartbusters. Dheeraj's television show, Kundali Bhagya with Shraddha Arya is consistently at the first position on the TRP charts. Speaking about the song, his show Kundali Bhagya, equation with Shraddha Arya, pay cut, the pandemic, family planning, and more, Dheeraj poured his heart out in this free-wheeling interview with ETimes TV. Read the excerpts: (By Vijaya Tiwari)

The team has been wonderful. Everybody is appreciating the song, mine, and Hina's (Khan) chemistry. The song, its lyrics are being loved. The video is loved by everyone. The kind of feedback we are getting is that people are loving our chemistry out and out. So, I am very happy and Naagin (5) was a very short stint but we got a chance and we thought of doing the song together. People are appreciating it, and I'm very happy. (Photo: Instagram)

My character in Naagin 5 had grey-shades but there was also love from my side, and that chemistry between me and Hina was really loved. That is why I think people were waiting for our next project together. Fans created a hashtag #Hiraj and people started trending it all over. We loved the story. Everybody has loved the way the video has turned out beautifully. Hina is a great actor, she's a great co-star. There was a comfort level with her. (Photo: Instagram)

Vinny's reaction was very good. She loved the video and the song. Hina is a great actor, and yes, I wanted to work with her. I had many things in life, and I had told my family, friends, that I want to work with Hina. The universe conspired this to happen, and hopefully, we will do many more projects together. We look good together and people love us. (Photo: Instagram)

I won't say that I have the fear. The best thing is that the teams are so good, all of it, whoever we have worked with. The production house, they are taking care of all the safety measures and precautions. The team is great, more than we, they take good care of us. We are doing every possible thing that we can while shooting. The way we are shooting is a little bit different. We have to put a lot of thought into what to hold in hands if they are cleaned. I am shooting for the last two months now. I have worked with three projects, and nowhere I had to worry because on every set there were extreme measures taken. Everybody is taking care of. So, I don't have the fear. (Photo: Instagram)

When I am performing, I am performing. I think there is nothing that is bothering me when it comes to my craft and my performance, nothing comes in between. Then I won't think about the pandemic and all. All the actors are in our characters between the action and the cut. Yes, I am going on the sets. I hope nobody gets exposed to the virus. We need to be alert. I don't think all these are diverting my mind from my work. I am very much concentrating on my craft. Yes, during travelling, I take care. I take steam, drink 'kaadha' and wear a mask. It is not too much on my head right now. (Photo: Instagram)

It was a very good thing. When lockdown started, we were at home. My wife is a great cook. So, we were enjoying all the great food. So, I was very happy spending time with Vinnie and Oreo (his pet dog). Later, there was a time when I wanted to step out to work. It wasn't like I wasn't enjoying being home but there was this urge within to face the camera, perform. But knowing the fact that pandemic and all, the counts are increasing, I was just hoping for the vaccine to come out as soon as possible, and everything gets sorted. But we started shooting, and hopefully, it's going out quite well. Kundali Bhagya again picked up, and we are at the top. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel very good. I did a show called Sasural Simar Ka for 6 years, and for 7 years that was the number one show. Kundali Bhagya, I am doing since past three and a half years, which is again the number one show. That's why I always joke that I am doing the number one show for the past 10 years. I am really happy and feel top of the world that people are loving me. Karan has become so big, the character and everything. I started giving my inputs to the character. I started playing in my way. People loved it. The brief was that he is a cricketer but when you give a personal touch to the character, it adds. Now, I can proudly say that there isn't much difference between Dheeraj and Karan. I was the captain of my school's cricket team. I was famous among girls because I was a good-looking champ. So, there's hardly any difference between Karan and Dheeraj. I don't act when I am playing Karan because it comes very naturally to me. Kundali Bhagya is doing great around the world and we are getting reviews. You speak about the American continent, the Gulf continent, everybody is loving it. We are loved in all the markets. I am fully enjoying the time right now. (Photo: Instagram)

Now the times have changed. Preeta has got married. She's got the NGO's and police home. I always say at the end of the day, the affection shows. We need to create a theme accordingly, we need to act the character that we are playing. People have accepted it that he's doing everything in masti, and behaves in a certain manner. People, sometimes they accept, and sometimes they don't. So, my reaction to it is that I take it normally and feel great because people are attached to the story and the characters that they are not liking certain things about the story and the characters. So, I am happy that people are so well-connected to the show. We always try to listen to them and work towards it by creating better content and creating a better storyline. It's been a long time, three and a half years and the TRP shows that people are watching the show. Yes, sometimes there are complaints and everything but in the end, it's all about love. (Photo: Instagram)

Consider this to be magic because we became good friends the day we first met. Vinnie has worked with Shraddha before but I never worked with her before. When we started working together, did a few press conferences, travelled, and we bonded immediately. That is the comfort level that translates onscreen. If I'm telling her to do something, she always does it. Now, we are working for the last three and a half years together, so we don't have to discuss the scenes. She knows what I am going to do and so do I. So, we act accordingly. People are accepting and loving our chemistry, that's a great thing. (Photo: Instagram)

Everything. She's a great human being and is very professional. We like having fun together and pull each other's leg. (Photo: Instagram)

These are difficult times and we should help out each other. I am not saying that the actors should help the production house. The production house should also help the actors. The problem is genuine, and we are always there for each other. The whole industry and the production houses, we are a big family. And, we should understand that if the actor is sitting at home for three months. Somehow they have to help us, and if we can help them then that's a great thing. I think it's teamwork and they also understand a few things that the actors have been sitting at home for three months, and they are ready to help in that way. (Photo: Instagram)

Definitely, I would love to do reality shows but Kundali Bhagya is taking most of my time. But, I would love to be a part of a dance reality show or something else. So, I am open to it and now, I have started. One of my music videos will be releasing on the 25th of this month too. I am looking forward to doing a lot of short films as well. (Photo: Instagram)

I feel great. I don't want to think about the journey and that's the reason I am doing this interview with you. Rejections are always a part of an actor's life. I think if you don't get rejected, you won't get selected somewhere. It's a part of the journey. Just work hard towards your craft. Never stop working on your craft, I believe. Whatever you do, wherever you go, if you are not good at your work, nobody will give you respect. If your craft is good, people will love you, and this is my mantra. (Photo: Instagram)

There are no plans yet. Right now, we are focussing on our work. (Photo: Instagram)

(Transcribed by Gayatri Nirmal)