MUMBAI: Talented actor Paresh Ganatra is considered one of the finest actors in the television industry. From being part of popular and path-breaking shows like Baa Bahu Aur Baby and Chidiya Ghar, he has made a comeback with slice-of-life show Bhakharwadi on SAB TV.

Paresh spoke about his character of Mahendra, shooting experience, expectations, and more.

He shared, ‘My character Mahendra Thakkar is a modern Gujarati man who is very jolly. In this show, we don’t portray him as a stereotypical Gujarati who is usually presented on television. We are trying to keep it more relatable. I have done Gujarati characters a lot of times. Aatish has given different shades to my character in Bhakharwadi, and the viewers are going to enjoy watching it just as I am enjoying doing it. In addition, the shooting experience is unforgettable. I enjoy it the most if I go on the set and see people cheerful and laughing. So I always make it a point to remain happy and smiling while I am on the set, as I myself hate negative people. This positive feeling also impacts everyone’s performance and will be seen on television as well.’

Having given hits like Baa Bahu Aur Baby and Chidiya Ghar, we asked him what his expectations from Bhakharwadi are, and he replied, ‘Whatever show we do, we feel it will go a long way. But ultimately, it’s the viewers who decide. Whenever I see the make-up staff, dress team, or any other staff on the sets, I feel happy because they have been earning because of the show running for so long. Hence, I wish that every show I do runs for long.

I hope Bhakharwadi runs for at least 10 years.

Talking about what prompted him to do this show, he said, ‘The reason behind accepting this role is Aatish Kapadia, who is not only my good friend but also an amazing writer. He is very well aware of my strengths and weaknesses. When he narrated this role to me, I asked what this character has that I haven’t already done and he assured me that there will be so much that I would have not done previously.’

He continued, ‘Secondly, there is always this greed of continuously working with such a great team of people including Deven, JD Majethia, and Aatish Kapadia, who are extremely creative and work with great commitment. This grabs you and makes you work even harder. We are also very good friends since so many years now, and thus, we want to work together and outdo each other, in a positive sense. So working with such people gives a creative push. It is sometimes very difficult to get creative people on the same page.’

Finally, we asked if there are any similarities between his character and his real self. He shared, ‘Considering the father–daughter relationship, it is the same both on- and off-screen. I don’t have fights with my wife because I am a very calm person. My philosophy is that there is no good in getting angry or fighting with someone. However, when it comes to self-respect, I can fight with anyone, because that is what I value the most.’

Good luck, Paresh!