Life doesn’t throw that many opportunities at you. Thus it’s imperative to grab the right opportunity at the right time. Failure to do so can leave you regretting for the rest of your life. However, for actor Hrishikesh Pandey, aka Shakti in Zee TV’ Vivaah , snubbing plum offers have proved to be wise. Hrishikesh says, “I was offered a role in both the Mahabharats. While I snubbed Ekta, I couldn’t take up Bobby’s show. In Ekta’s Mahabharat , they wanted me to play Duryodhan but I was only looking at doing either Arjun or Karan’s character. Besides, I wasn’t happy with the money offered. Bobby offered me Karan’s role but since the shoot was taking place in Gurgaon, I wasn’t prepared to stay 15-20 days away from home. So, I refused the other Mahabharat too. I’m glad that I snubbed Ekta’s Mahabharat . After all, we all know what the fate of the show is. And Bobby’s Mahabharat is yet to take off.” Well, it’s just not the two Mahabharats that Hrishikesh was lucky to miss. “Raviji (Chopra) offered me to play Viresh’s role in Sujata. However, I wouldn’t have looked good as a father to some one of my own age. So, I had to give Sujata a miss too. From what I’ve learnt is that the show hasn’t taken off well and the story has been completely tweaked,” the actor states. Hrishikesh not only knows how to avert potential disasters but also possesses the golden touch. “Ever since I’ve joined Vivaah, the show’s TRP has risen. It’s now consistently over one. In the past too when I did Piya Ka Ghar, the show recorded increase in TRPs. I reckon I’m lucky not just for the shows but also for the channel (Zee TV),” says Hrishikesh proudly. Looking at the dropping GRPs of Zee TV, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the channel to cast Hrishikesh in all their shows. After all, Hrishikesh has the golden touch.