Studio number five in Mumbai's Film City is witnessing a flurry of activity. Gone are the bright ambers and golds, and gone too is vivacious hostess Mandira Bedi. Sony's newly-gone-weekly game show Deal Ya No Deal will be hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal from 28 April. And Film City is turning all sleek and black to suit the revamped image of the Miditech produced show.

Being himself - Rajeev in his new avatar

Carpenters are busy at work on the sets, which has a much larger look than the earlier hosted by Mandira, and initially by R Madhavan. The USP of the set is a huge grey vault, through which Rajeev will emerge into a lighted corridor that leads into the main set. None of Mandira's chirpy demeanour will be apparent here. Rajeev's entry into the sets will be accompanied by 26 well known models who will wield the all important briefcases containing amounts ranging from 25 paise to 10 million rupees. On Tuesday, executives from Endemol, which owns the original format, were present on the set, going over the finishing touches to the revamp.

The host's look matches the set. A slimmer, trimmer Rajeev, back after a hiatus from television, will don sleek dark suits and will definitely not be as garrulous as Mandira was in the earlier edition. The makers would prefer him to 'be himself' instead, using those brooding soulful eyes to his advantage as he steers participants from one level of avarice to another. A team has been working with Rajeev for the last 10 days, instructing him in the nuances of the show, which he considers one of the biggest challenges in his acting career thus far.

"I am not the kind who would push people into wrangling for more money, but I will just encourage them into doing what they feel is right," says the actor, who for long symbolised the perennially pensive Sujal in Star Plus' Kahiin To Hoga till he opted out of the late night Balaji show last May. "I have purposely stayed away from watching earlier episodes of Deal... hosted by Madhavan and Mandira, as I didn't want to be influenced by either," reflects the actor, who directed TV documentaries prior to getting into modeling and then acting.

Rajeev will soon also be seen in Tony and Deeya Singh's new show Left, Right, Left on Sab TV, in which he plays an armyman, a role he chose over many other offers, after much deliberation.

Stay clued to this space for an exclusive exhaustive interview with the reticent heartthrob.

Pic by Satej Shinde