A Tale of Two Aspirants

The focus on content rather than just star value has also resulted in lesser-known actors bagging meaty movie assignments. Shoojit Sircar,director of Vicky Donor,feels,“Today,audience is happy giving a chance to new actors. For Ayushman,it is his boy-next-door image that worked for us.” Kumar Mangat Pathak,producer of Bittoo Boss,also feels that having a familiar face from television helps reach out to the interiors of India.

Both Samrat,who hails from Delhi,and Chandigarh-bred Khurana tasted success with their first television outings. Samrat became an overnight star in 2006,when he played the role of Lakshya Virani in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. A couple of years later,he filed a case against its producer Ekta Kapoor,asking her to pay his pending dues. This led to his ouster from the show.

Even though Samrat got several offers to act in television shows after that,he did not accept any of them. The right opportunity came for the 25-year-old when director Supavrita Paul offered him the lead role in Bittoo Boss. “I couldn’t have asked for a more complete role. I play a wedding photographer and I get to act,dance,sing,emote and just about do everything in this film,” he says.

Khurana’s brush with fame happened when he won the MTV Roadies title in 2004. He,however,did not capitalise on it and decided to complete his education. In 2007,he returned as a radio jockey. He went on to host a number of shows for MTV. He then anchored shows such as India’s Got Talent,Music Ka Maha Muqqabla and Just Dance. “My stints as a VJ and anchor made me realise that I could be an actor,” says the 27-year-old. Conventional roles were,however,hard to come by because he did not know too many people in the industry. “So my only hope was to do a film where the script was the hero and I found that in Vicky Donor,” says Khurana.

Both these actors realise that they do not have godfathers in the film industry. “I am very much on my own here. But the industry will notice me if I prove my mettle,” says Samrat. Khurana is waiting for his movie’s release to plan his future course of action. He is open to the idea of working with different mediums. “If some interesting television show comes up,I will take that up as well,” says he.