MUMBAI: “Whenever I finish a TV show, I take a sabbatical so that I can pursue other things like Marathi theatre and films. But when you are doing a daily soap, it gets very difficult to manage things. I try my level best to strike a balance between all these three mediums.”, said actor Sumeet Raghavan, who is all set to return to doing a TV show after a gap of four years.

Regarding carrying out work by following the required safety Covid-protocols, Sumeet informed, "After being cooped up at home for close to 4-5 months, when I stepped out in July for my first assignment - an ad shoot, I was very nervous and sceptical. But slowly as I started doing more ads, I became more confident and it helped me to settle down in the new normal. Honestly, you can’t just sit at home, one day you will have to step out and get back to work taking all precautions. Doing these small projects helped me to shoot the promo of my upcoming project.".

Sumeet further expressed his excitement over learning a new language. "Apart from acting, music has always been an integral part of my life and our house. So, the lockdown was a good time to get back to it. I learnt playing the guitar and practised on my harmonium often. But the most exciting part of all is learning a new language from scratch. My dad’s a Tamilian and my mom’s a Kannadiga, who can speak fluent Tamil and so can my brother. However, it was just me who couldn’t. I have been wanting to learn Tamil for a very long time but somehow it never happened. I think unless that self-realisation doesn’t push you, you won’t be inspired to do anything. The lockdown gave me the much-needed push to learn Tamil. Since the last 2 ½ months, I have been taking regular online classes from my coach based out of Coimbatore. I have a big board on which I write during the class. It’s amazing to finally be able to read the rich Tamil literature which I have missed out on all these years. Recently, I wrote something for my dad in Tamil and he was so happy to read it. This also made me feel very happy.".

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Talking about RK Laxman's 'common man', he said, "I’ve grown up watching Wagle Ki Duniya and RK Laxman’s interpretation of the dhoti-clad, bespectacled, balding common man in his iconic comic strips which used to appear in The Times of India. So when I got a chance to relive that part of my childhood in the reboot of Wagle ki Duniya - Nayi Peedi Naye Kisse, I grabbed the opportunity. I’m thrilled to be portraying the junior Wagle, son of the original Wagle - Aanjjanji (Srivastav) and Bharatiji (Achrekar) aka the common man and his wife. I’m like the bridge between my parents’ generation and my children’s generation. It’s an amazing amalgamation of nostalgia and future. Another reason why I took up the show is that I was getting a chance to work with Aatish (Kapadia) and JD (Majethia) again. We have worked earlier and they know how to get the best out of me. It’s a win-win situation.".

Revealing about getting more interesting works in his almost 50's, Sumeet concluded, "Honestly, I don’t look back. I’m happy with the work I’m getting now. 20 years back, I was in that phase where I wanted to do certain kind of work but as I’m nearing 50 (next year), I’m getting interesting and challenging roles which are keeping me on my toes and pushing me out of my comfort zone. Over the years, the audience has remembered me by the roles that I’ve portrayed on screen and that’s the best thing an actor can ever hope for. I can’t ask for more.".

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Credit: Bombay Times