When you ask most TV actors if they prepare to slip into a role, the most common reply will be, “No…actually where is the time to prepare in the TV industry?” Krip Suri who plays Rahukaal in Life OK’s Savitri however takes his profession very seriously. He who seems to come across as a sweet, calm and modest gentleman is the alter-ego of the abominable Rahukaal. How did he get into the skin of this character? First and foremost he had worked on his physique. He worked out intensively at the gym both in the morning and evening for three months. He would do cardio in the morning and weight training in the evening. He was on a diet which included less carbohydrates, more proteins and plenty of vegetables. The actors had a workshop in which he learnt horse riding and sword fighting. At times Krip would break into an ominous laughter. People around him would be bewildered as to why he was laughing so ludicrously and that too when nothing remotely amusing had happened. He was just practicing the wicked laughter of Rahukaal. He even laughed on while driving or watching TV. Krip who has a fair complexion sports a dark tan when the Rahukaal makeup is applied on him. However he has no qualms about this whatsoever. In fact he feels that apart from applying kajal (which bestows the negative characters on TV the typical villainous look); a dusky complexion is ideal for a villain. Though the actor had a long mane, he still wears a wig. It takes him about 45 minutes for him to get his makeup and dressing done. Krip wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He belongs to a middle class family hailing from Delhi. He had arrived in Mumbai with just Rs 1500 in his pocket with dreams to make it big as an actor. Recollecting his days of struggle in Mumbai he narrates, “I arrived in Mumbai ten years ago on 17 January, 2003 and was living in a room with eight people. I was unable to pay rent and was out on the streets for three days. On seeing me sleeping on the streets a generous soul offered me accommodation till I could afford to find a roof over my head and pay rent for the same. I was also without any morsel of food for six days.” The actor now has bought himself a house in the same Mumbai city where he once couldn’t afford to pay rent. Krip didn’t even have money to enroll himself into an acting school. So how did he learn acting? “I am a film buff and have a great collection of movies. I keenly observed actors acting on screen and how dancers danced. That is how I picked up both acting and dancing.” Krip finds it more challenging to play villains rather than heroes. He explains, “A negative character has many shades to portray and as an actor you learn a lot by executing these roles. Television villains are also very memorable- take for instance Viraj (Karanvir Bohra) in Dil Se Di Dua Saubhagyavati Bhava.” Krip thanks God Almighty for his professional success. “Without His grace I would have gone nowhere in life.” We wish you all the luck and success, Krip.