Arjit Taneja: After 11 years in Mumbai, the Dilliwala in me was fading

Arjit Taneja

Essaying a Delhi boy would be a cakewalk, thought Arjit Taneja, who was raised in the capital. But he realised that after living in Mumbai for long, he had forgotten the lingo and nuances of a Dilliwala. The actor found himself reconnecting with his old self as he began shooting for Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye. In a candid interview with mid-day, Taneja talks about reuniting with close friend Sriti Jha after Kumkum Bhagya, their on-screen chemistry and the workings of the television industry.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

From being co-stars to close friends and now playing lovers on screen, your dynamics with Sriti Jha is constantly evolving.
The beauty of being actors is that you get to portray such different roles and relationships. Aishwarya Rai [Bachchan] played Shah Rukh Khan's sister [in Josh], so why not? When I started Kumkum Bhagya, I was a 20-year-old kid. It was my first show, I was learning everything. I used to call her Pragya di. Now, here we are. What are the odds of two friends being cast together!

Do you believe that you two have chemistry?
It was something I was worried about. Sometimes, during a [romantic] shot, I cheat and look somewhere else when I have to look into her eyes. Most often, we end up laughing. Having said that, in one of my last shows the female lead and I didn't get along, we didn't even say hi to each other, but we pulled off the most romantic scenes. You cannot vibe with everyone.

What about a role seals the deal for you? Are you okay playing a secondary character?
I'm not okay playing a secondary character right now, especially on television. If it's an ensemble drama on web or film, I'd love to do it because even the secondary characters are given screen space and importance. But in television, there are no parallel leads.

Back in the day, they used to have it. That's how Mrunal [Thakur] and I started, and became popular because of Kumkum Bhagya. But things have changed now. I've done something for the big screen, which will come out next year.

Is the wait between two shows too daunting?
I feel that after every show, you are as good as a newcomer because you have to struggle again to get your next job. After Khatron Ke Khiladi 13, I thought I won't do television for a while because I wanted to explore OTT. But this show landed in my lap. [A big draw] to do this show was Sriti. She is one of the finest actors we have on TV today. I also thought it was the right time to cash in on the popularity I got from Khatron Ke Khiladi.

You play a Delhi boy in the show. Ranveer Singh aced the act with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Do you think you can top that?
His character is from west Delhi, mine is from north Delhi. Having stayed [in Mumbai] for 11 years, the Dilliwala in me was fading. When I was starting out in Mumbai, I'd say, ‘Yeh mat kariyo, yahan jaiyo' in my dialogues. Over time, I made a conscious effort to get rid of it. Now, I have to do it again since the dialogues are written like that, and oddly, it's not coming to me naturally [laughs].

Do you prefer long-running shows or finite ones?
If I want to do a finite show, I will do it. But in our industry, the longer a show runs, the more valuable you become. If it shuts down in six months, you will be responsible. I did a show called Bahu Begam, which shut down because of COVID. If the pandemic had not happened, it would have run for another two months before being pulled down. Although no one has blamed me for [the short run], when you go for auditions it [shows on your record]. There is baggage.

Do you think if writers are given more time, TV content would be better?
I do. Earlier, the shows would run from Monday to Thursday. Then they became Monday to Friday, now we are on Monday to Sunday. We work 28 days a month. I hope there comes a time when shows are aired four days a week.