TV main bahut jaan baaki hai: Sudhanshu Pandey

Having done films across industries in over two decades, actor Sudhanshu Pandey ventured into daily soap project last year.

“I have done over 45 films — good, bad and ugly — and a couple of web-series as well. I see television’s growth in terms of reach, revenue generation and the kind of influence it has over the audience. So now when I dabbled into my first ever daily soap, I have realized its real strength,” says Pandey.

The 2.0 and Radhe actor feels OTT is not a threat to the small screen. “TV main bahut jaan baaki hai…it just depends on the content creator woh jaan le sakte hai aur daal bhi sakte hain!”

Currently, he is fully invested in the show. “My role is one of the most layered characters of my life. Here the hero of the show is totally grey and if my character of Vanraj Shah was not such then there would be no Anupamaa! With such a diverse and unpredictable role, it has a big scope to grow.”

He adds, “Also, you don’t get popularity and appreciation with everything you do — be it the biggest of stars like Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan or anyone else for that matter. Similarly in my case, this is that one project which became the talk of the town and a global rage.”

After a huge success, Pandey believes that power of television is on another level. “If you look at films, hardly any film is working — be it in theatre or OTT. I did a special appearance in Radhe, for Prabhudeva (director), but did not watch the film myself! Recently, we had Sara Ali Khan promoting her film on our show which explains the power of a successful show.”

Before taking up this show he was preparing to get into production that he now plans to do later at some point of time. “I had made up my mind to do get into TV when my friend Rajan (Shahi, producer) narrated me about the show and we went ahead and rest is history.”

The actor was in Varanasi earlier this month to shoot for a government project on Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. “I got to visit this magnificent city nearly after two decades and experience was fantastic. It Mahakaal’s blessing, to which I surrendered many-many years ago, the head priest of the dham Pt Shrikant Mishra made me perform the divine abhishek.”

Pandey has a strong connect with UP. “My father’s hometown is Gorakhpur and we used to have a 30-room haveli there. I have spent my childhood there also two of my aunts and a close friend live in Lucknow. However, I was born and brought up in Almora and Nainital,” he tells.