Overjoyed to accept guest role in ’24’: Rahul Khanna

Rahul said Anil Kapoor had sometime back told him

about his plans to make the Indian version of ’24’ and it sounded quite exciting to him.

“I was a huge fan of the original ’24’ and the Indian version was positioned as a game changer for TV here,” Rahul told PTI in an email interview.

“Initially,we had discussed about me doing a larger role in the show but when that didn’t work out,he offered me this dramatic two-episode guest role and I was overjoyed to accept,” he said.

Rahul has shared a great equation with Anil Kapoor,who is a close friend of his actor-brother Akshaye Khanna. That is how he met him often and the two always expressed an interest in working with each other.

“I have nothing but praise and admiration for Anil. In spite of having been in the industry for decades,he has the passion and drive of a newcomer. He is very methodical and disciplined. Working on ’24’ with him was stimulating,challenging and a privilege.

“The icing on the cake was that,at the end of my schedule,he told me I was one of the finest co-stars he had ever worked with,which was incredibly flattering. The rest of the crew too was wonderful,it was one of the most talented and dedicated young teams I’ve ever worked with,” he said.

In the show,Rahul plays the role of Tarun Khosla,an investment banker.

“In the show my name comes up during Anil Kapoor’s character,Jai Singh Rathod’s investigations. He feels there is a possibility I might have some information as to the whereabouts of his kidnapped family as well as the assassination attempt,but he is not certain,” Rahul said.

“I have always wanted to play a character with an air of mystery and shades of grey. I must say,although it was a difficult shoot – the long shooting days and a tough action sequence filmed in the middle of the Bombay monsoon – yet this was a lot of fun to do,” he said.

The Indian version of the hit espionage series stars Anil Kapoor,Tisca Chopra,Mandira Bedi,Neil Bhoopalam among

others,while Shabana Azmi,Anupam Kher and Rahul Khanna

feature in cameo appearances.

The show is written by Rensil D’Silva and directed by Abhinay Deo of ‘Delhi Belly’ fame. It is currently on air every Friday and Saturday on Colors channel.