Cricketers and actors go hand in hand. Some of our cricketers have made the switch to acting. Sandeep Patil, India's flamboyant batsman of the 80s, made a solitary appearance in a film, Kabhi Ajnabi The and stunned his fans.

Two decades later, his 20-year-old son Chirag has made his debut with the Balaji show Karam Karam Apna Apna.

In a casual chat with Tellychakkar Chirag talks about his passions, his illustrious dad and his serial.

What is it about cricketer sons that attract them to tinsel town?
Cricket and films are the two prime passions in this country. The craze for films, isn't restricted to just cricketer sons. Growing as kids we all love watching our movies and serials. As for me, I was a true movie buff.

Was it tough when your father told you that you were not good enough to play cricket?
Not at all. He was just being honest and it helped me immensely as I didn't waste further time on cricket. Though, I must confess that like all cricketers, my father too wanted me to emulate him but it didn't happen and neither he nor I lost sleep over it. Besides, I never wanted to be a cricketer.

How do you rate your father's performance in his one-off film (Kabhi Ajnabi The)?
I'll give him 6 out of 10.

Was the family disappointed at not seeing more of Sandeep in films?
Ideally, it would have been perfect but father himself wasn't keen on doing more films. He's always stated he only took acting as an experience.

Now that you've ventured into acting, will the father follow his son?
That would be nice but I'd rather (selfishly) would prefer the offers to come my way.

What role does Sandeep play in your life?
My father has been very supportive in all my decisions. He's more like a friend and that's how most fathers and sons should be.

With regards to my profession, there isn't just one individual who's played mentor to me. The likes of Jeetendra, Ekta Kapoor, and Salim Khan (Salman's father) have been instrumental in shaping my career.

When did you start looking upon acting as a career?
From the time my father told me to stop playing cricket, I diverted all my energies to becoming an actor. I was about 14 years old then.

Why did you choose to begin your career with TV and not films?
There was never any preference in my mind. I was prepared to do both. It's just that television came first so I opted for it. But that doesn't mean that I'm keen on films now. Eventually, I'd like to do films but I don't' want to jump into it at this stage. Presently, I'm going through the initial struggling phase.

What's your character in Karam Apna Apna?
I play Karan Sanhgvi. It's a negative character. He wants to eliminate the Kapoor family and loot all their money. At the moment, I've been briefed only this much.

You've begun with a negative role. Is that how you want to establish yourself?
I would never like to be tagged in this bracket. I took up this role simply because it was very appealing. I want to make it clear that bagging lead roles is my priority.

What are your future plans?
As of now I'm busy with Karam.. Plus, I'm not so sure whether Ekta will allow me yet to explore.

What do you do besides acting?
Soon I'll be appearing for my Hotel Management final exams. Besides this, I've taken acting lessons from Kishore Namit Kapoor.

I love cars and often drive to Lonavala. I own a Ford Ikon and a Tata Safari. I'd like to drive my father's Merc but he seldom gives it to me. You'll be surprised that I love watching World Rally Championships rather than Formula One. One day, I hope to buy a Ducati. Besides cars, I cool myself by playing the keyboard.