Mohit Raina says he broke out of ‘Shiva’ image easily but makers are yet to see him in ‘romantic and light’ parts

Mohit Raina, who rose to fame playing Lord Shiva in Mahadev, quit television at the top of his game. Since then he has been doing films and shows on digital platforms and has also been part of Bollywood films like Uri, Shiddat and Mrs Serial Killer. When asked if he felt the step was worth it, Mohit smiled, saying, “Absolutely. When I came to Mumbai, I was never driven by money or fame ever. I didn’t know about these things, so I had nothing to lose. I only wanted to fulfil my creative needs. I was in a relationship with the camera and it did not bother me which medium it belonged to. I have no regrets and God has been kind with the kind of opportunities I got in my career.”

So was it his love for the craft that made him do a small part in a film like Uri, where a relatively newer actor Vicky Kaushal was playing the lead? “My reason for doing Uri was very different. I have always been fascinated and inspired by the uniform. I have never shied away from doing small parts if it has the uniform. I am really inspired and feel connected with it.” He also shared that he is not chasing lead roles but wants to do substantial and powerful characters at this point in his career.

Apart from his professional highs, Mohit Raina also got married to Aditi Sharma last year, and the couple recently welcomed their first child. Sharing that being married to someone, not from the same industry has helped him get a new perspective on life. He added that his day might be figuring out dates and reading scripts but as soon as he sits with his partner, they talk about food, life, and now even their newborn daughter. “I love this change and enjoy everything that’s come with it,” he added. Talking about parenthood, Mohit said that it’s the ‘most beautiful thing’ and that he cannot describe it in words. He added that babies grow too fast and hence he spends as much time as he can with her.

While Mohit and his wife were expecting their child, there were reports about them separating in the media. The actor back then had clarified the buzz exclusively with indianexpress.com. Sharing that it’s part and parcel of his profession, Mohit said that it does affect one but there’s nothing much they can do. “Thankfully I was in Himachal Pradesh, away from the noise with limited network. I did not know how to explain to everyone that here we are stepping into a new phase, and you guys are writing everything wrong and negative. I sometimes wish I could change things but it’s not in your hands. Also, because I am not very active on social media, and do not share too much about my personal life, people take it as a sign of something not being right.”

The actor will next be seen in Mumbai Diaries 2 and another web series for Hotstar. As we wrapped our conversation, we discussed how playing mythological characters on screen leaves a lifelong impact on audiences’ minds. Recently, the Adipurush team received a backlash for its colloquial language and modern looks, pressing on the fact that viewers like to see such characters in a certain way. However, Mohit shared that he did not face issues trying to break out from his image. “Earlier, during Ramayan and Mahabharat, people believed these actors to be gods. But now, with social media and actors appearing at different events, that image gets broken easily. I think I was just lucky to have never faced anything like that.”