MUMBAI: Actor Krishna Bharadwaj rose to fame portraying the title role in the TV show Tenali Rama, and his trademark bald look for the historical character became so popular that he kept getting offers where he is expected to shave off his pate. However, Krishna says he declined such offers in order to avoid getting typecast.

Tenali Rama was a clever poet in the court of King Krishnadevaraya. The character has always been depicted as a bald man in various references, and Krishna too had to remain bald for over three years since the show started in 2017.

"Post Tenali Rama, I got some offers that required me to be bald but I didn't take these up. I didn't want to play a character with a bald look due to my fear of getting typecast. I shall forever be grateful to this characterisation but I believe that one has to move on at some point. I would like to portray roles that are intense and have a different genre to modify my image of a cute boy next door," Krishna tells IANS.

The actor is impressed with the growing popularity of OTT platforms and says that he would choose digital space over other mediums.

"I will choose working in OTT any day because work finishes in a limited time frame, offers the opportunity to explore creative arenas and variations in roles as an artiste. On the other hand, a daily soap is an ongoing process and at some point becomes a job. Another reason behind my choice would be the magnitude of real and relatable content that the digital medium offers. The essence of roles in OTT impresses me the most," he explains.

The actor, who is currently working on the sequel of his Gujarati film Chal Man Jeetva Jaaiye, is humbled with the love people have given him so far and made him a household name, post Tenali Rama.

"It feels great to be a household name specially amongst kids and teens. It's been a while the show went off air but the love I still receive over messages and social media is overwhelming. It's an honour to know that a character I played is still alive in the hearts of people," he says.