Arjun Bijlani on films: ‘I have been offered lots of roles but felt I deserve better’

Arjun Bijlani started as a popular face on the small screen with shows like Remix and Left Right Left and has been making his presence felt in the reality television space since quite some time. He has now stepped into the shoes of Rannvijay Singha as Sunny Leone’s co-host on dating reality show, MTV Splitsvilla season 14. After hosting all from Dance Deewane to India’s Got Talent, the actor is confident that he has the maturity to pull it off. He promises to be himself and bring his own flavour on the show. Arjun is fresh from winning the latest season of adventure reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi, however, is in no mood to participate in one like Bigg Boss in near future. (Also Read | Arjun Bijlani replaces Rannvijay Singha as host in MTV Splitsvilla 14, sad fans say ‘show will never be the same’)

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Arjun opened up about hosting a dating show for the first time and how there is more to be done than just explaining the rules of the game. He also shared his reasons for not venturing into films in a big way. Excerpts:

How Splitsvilla would be different for you than the other shows you have hosted before?

There, you are mostly interacting with the audience, having fun and playing along with the emotions. Anyone can explain game rules. Splitsvilla is about the conversations you have with the contestants, how you get involved in their dating issues. It’s more of a responsibility, mentoring and understanding their problems and guiding them. It’s like how Salman Khan hosts Bigg Boss. Sometimes, things go a little out of hand, people get aggressive and they need to be realised that that’s not the way to go. Sometimes you got to play that role as well as a host.

Does being married helps in hosting Splitsvilla?

Of course, personal experience does help. I have been in a relationship for the longest time. So, I understand relationships better than somebody who has just started off. This is about ideal matches and I have already found my ideal match. No relationship is perfect and every relationship has its ups and downs, we all learn from our mistakes and grow in a relationship.

Have you already started working in sync with your co-host Sunny Leone?

In a day or two, me and Sunny hit the right chord. We were having fun and chilling. Initially, you come with a lot of inhibitions and then I started enjoying with Sunny and the contestants. It was amazing and felt like I have been hosting it for several seasons.

You have done all kind of reality shows. Will you ever join Bigg Boss?

No, I don’t think so. As of now, definitely no. I am in a good space and don’t think I need to do Bigg Boss as of now.

Are you working on films as well?

I have been part of some script narrations. I have been offered a good show recently so I am thinking about that as well. I shall know better in a month or two.

You are not doing films for lack of desirable offers or because you are doing so well on TV and OTT?

The TV shows I was part of, they used to run for 3-4 years so I didn’t have time. Now I do have the time because I have not done that TV fiction since a couple of years. Then the pandemic was also there for 2.5 years. After it all opened up, I did Khatron Ke Khiladi, IGT and Roohaniyat too, and now Splitsvilla. Also, something should materialise in terms of a good script. I have been offered a lot of roles that I could have done but I felt I deserve better. I will get my due someday but I don’t want to make a choice that later on, I would say, ‘why did I chose this and not that’. Sometimes, we must wait for the right time.

Have you been in a situation where you were not given a priority for being a TV actor instead of a film actor?

No one said this personally to me but I am sure, lot of people in the industry must be thinking like that. I just want to say, TV was always big and will always be big. It’s very juvenile to think like this because art has got nothing to do with medium. If someone is a good actor, he’s a good actor. Today South films are doing so well, we see that because we like them as actors and the films that they are making. That doesn’t make anybody less capable or less talented. Actors should be treated like actors; we should not categorise them as TV or film actors.