Villainous Ventures

Agle Janam is a social docudrama that comes on one of the popular TV channels. It endeavours to portray the trials and tribulations faced by the girl child in most small towns due to the prevalence of poverty. It is the journey of a young girl- Laali (played by Ratan Rajput)- from her humble home to the opulent haveli of the Thakur after she is sold to him for money. In the past year and a half of its run,the programme has garnered a massive audience due to its sensitive subject as well as its authentic depiction of the rural reality.

About the character ‘Ranvijay’ that he plays on screen,Sachal says,“I am not your stereotypical villain. Ranvijay,though not essentially evil by nature,is forced to act like that because of the circumstances. However,there are various dimensions even within the basic negative premise that showcase his lighter side. He is a complicated man,and has his share of good moments too.”

Sukirti,on the other hand,reveals that her prime time television avatar,‘Siddheshwari’ is innocent and spoilt and is swept along with the evil tide without much understanding of the repercussions. She adds,“Siddheshwari has been pampered since she was a child. She teams up with Ranvijay but doesn’t know the malevolence of her actions. She is only concerned with her own comforts.”

Though both these actors have been tagged as villains they both agree that their on-screen personas have a comic side to them that at times is even humane due to which they aren’t out-and-out hated by their viewers like some baddies are. This,according to them is the beauty of their characters. Sachal also adds,“I feel a sense of growth and excitement after every scene because of these subtle nuances that the role demands. In fact,I remember that a fan once said to me- Bahut bure kaam karte ho phir bhi bade cute lagte ho.”

When asked about future projects Sukirti as well as Sachal replied that at the moment they had their hands full with the shooting of Agle Janam but hoped to venture into films later on.