MUMBAI: Actor Krishna Bharadwaj, who plays the lead role in Tenali Rama, was recently awarded the Indori Ratna by Sanstha Indorians. The actor says that even though he is not from Indore, he bagged it thanks to the popularity of the show. “The event was called Indori Ratna Awards. So basically, people of Indore who are from different fields like art, culture, sports and other departments are given Indori Ratna awards. But this time they called me in spite of the fact that I am not from Indore. They gave me the Indori Ratna as the show Tenali Rama is a big hit in Indore and doing very well there,” says Krishna, who was also gifted a special cut out by the Tenali Rama fan club.

Talking about the experience, he says, “The experience was completely mesmerizing as when I landed there was so much crowd gathered to see me. Some people wanted to take selfies and others just wanted a glimpse of me. It felt great to see my character being loved. I wished I was from Indore as I got so much love from them, something that I could have never got from my hometown too. At 12 in the night, they specially opened the Khajrana Temple of Lord Ganesha in Indore for me and I worshipped it.”

What do you think Krishna Bharadwaj and Tenali Rama?

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The actor says that hard work and passion has always been his mantra to success. “I am in acting from the last 13-14 years. I have been acting since I was 4-years-old in Doordarshan and Akashwani. In Mumbai, from the last 14 years, I have learned that perseverance and passion always pay you back. Your dream and your hard work never go waste. I always dreamt a little more than usual. I always worked a little more than normal. I always wanted to become big. I haven't reached that extent of success what I wanted but I have started my journey,” he says. 

The actor says that fan love makes everything worth it. “Getting recognised and love from you fans feels good. I am getting many awards including this Indori Ratna for Tenali Rama. The response is always amazing and the love from them is great. As an actor, you always want appreciation and adulation from people and I am getting that,” he says.