Miley Jab Hum Tum is arguably one of the most popular shows on Indian television today. Naturally then, all its lead actors are a hit with the viewers. Take Abhishek Sharma for example. He was just another 19-year-old till he played Benji in the show. Today, not only is he climbing new heights of popularity with every episode, he is also put in a praise-worthy performance. Sharma had to lose a lot of weight for this show, speaks to TellyChakkar in a freewheeling interview. Tell us about yourself I was born and brought up in Mumbai and after completing my school, I joined National College, Bandra but due to my schedule I could not continue there and decided to complete my graduation through a correspondence course. My entry into the glamour world was not entirely unexpected since my mother Neeta Sharma was a former Miss India. My father was earlier with the media and advertisement industry but even he has moved to films recently and is co-producing a movie. So, it was natural when I announced my intentions of becoming an actor. What was your first venture as an actor? If you count ads, then I shot my first film when I was four years old when I was promoting an undergarment company! I did another film as a kid – Champion , with Sunny Deol. While I was shooting for the film, Rakesh Roshan was making Kaho Na Pyar Hai and was looking for a child actor to play Hrithik’s younger brother. He liked my performance and I was selected for the role. Luckily for me, in both the movies my characters became immensely popular and came into the limelight. After this I came in touch with Paritosh Painter and did Paying Guest. How and when did the transition from movies to television happen? After the success of these two films, I focused on my studies. Only after completing my high school, did I start thinking on a career in television. I worked in serials like Aahat, Vilayati Babu, Sshhh… Koi Hai , etc. Few years later, when I was in college I was approached to do Waaris on Star One. However, due to some reasons the show got shelved and I missed out on a good opportunity. Interestingly, the same production house which were supposed to make Waaris started making Miley Jab Hum Tum and approached me once again. I had no reason to refuse the role. How different are you in real life from the character you play in Miley Jab Hum Tum? Interestingly, we are quite similar. Benji is a character who loves smiling, is full of energy and tries to make people happy. In real life, I also try my best to make people happy and give them a smile on the face. Earlier, your character was not much in focus? It takes time to establish a character in a show if it is not a lead role. The same happened with Benji. Initially it went on a slow track but gradually the viewers started liking it more and more and they started seeing more of Benji. Today, it is one of the most important characters of Miley Jab Hum Tum. Today whatever I have achieved in this show is due to the creative team. They have made Benji what he is today. Is there a love track in the pipeline? Yes! Though it sounds unbelievable that Benji will fall in love, there will be a romance involving him and Dia, Uday’s sister. Right now it is being seen as one-sided, but slowly Dia (played by Navina Bole) will also start liking Benji. According to you, why is the show successful? It is successful because it sends across the message of happiness to its viewers. All the characters of this show want to be happy, make others happy and enjoy life. Though the common belief is it is a show for the youth, I have met many middle-aged people who enjoy it too. You have lost a lot of weight and have changed a lot from the chubby child artiste we knew. How did this change happen? When I started this show I was 80 kgs. But my co stars, Rati Pandey and Jas Karan aka Dodo motivated me to lose weight and stay in shape. While Jas Karan helped me in my weight loss programme, he would also be upset with me if I missed my gym. On the other hand, Rati whom I consider as my on-set mother guided me on what to eat and what not to eat. So, half the credit goes to them. Are you doing any films? Or is your focus entirely on television now? I have completed a film called Admission Open. It is a college story and I have played a parallel lead. It is about the various problems students face during college admissions. Newcomer Satyam has directed it and stars Ankur Khanna too. Now I am waiting for the release date.