Television
It took me two months to come up with the voice of Roshesh Sarabhai: Rajesh Kumar
When Ekta Kapoor decided to kill the character Mihir Virani? (played by the actor Amar Upadhyay) in her famous soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi? years back, the fans of the show went berserk. They protested and demanded to bring Mihir back to the show and Ekta did it! The incident made Amar Upadhyay a household name. That’s the power television holds in India. It’s a victory for the actors when the characters they play become memorable; that’s a testimony that the actors did a damn good job! A lot of Indian television serials have made an impact on the minds of the audience over the years and erstwhile show Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai is one such show. It has gained a cult status over time and the characters on the show are still loved. One such character is the character of Roshesh Sarabhai. In an exclusive interview with Nation Next, television actor Rajesh Kumar who played the character of Roshesh Sarabhai speaks about his career and Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.
Excerpts:
How exactly did you land up in acting?
I basically hail from Bihar. I came to Mumbai in 1999 to pursue mass communication from St. Xaviers College. One of my friend was writing for a TV serial called Star Best Seller and he offered me a role. That’s how I landed up in acting. I thought acting was better than mass communication because I was getting the money instantly. The day I had my interview at St. Xaviers, I had the shoot. There were two career options in front of me and I selected acting.
It must have been a little difficult in the industry given the fact that you didn’t belong to the television or film background
Being a Bihari, the only thing I know about us is that we know how to take risks. Once you leave everything in your hometown and move ahead you know that you’re taking a risk. We plunge into that and we make our mark. So, I feel proud about that.
In Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai you had brilliant actors like Ratna Pathak Shah, Satish Shah, Sumit Raghavan and Roopali Ganguly but your character Roshesh Sarabhai made an impact and people still remember you for it. How do you feel?
It feels very great. It was a unique character and it took a lot of effort and hard work to play it. It was my first attempt at comedy so I was scared as I was acting besides Satishji and Ratnaji. But these experienced actors made sure that I didn’t feel out of place. It was a good learning ground for me. Sarabhai not only gave me recognition but has also taught me humility and simplicity. If an actor comes to Mumbai today to pursue his dreams, he will be feeling exactly what I was feeling back then. I make sure that I take care of him just the way I was taken care of.
What did you do to get into the skin of the character Roshesh?
Whenever I try method acting all my methods fail! The trick is to try and make the character your own. The soul of the character should be inside you. It took me two months to come up with the voice of Roshesh. But the writer and the producer Aatish Kapadia was clear in is head on how the character should be.
You’re a self-taught actor and have done variety of roles over the years. How has the journey been?
I have enjoyed playing whatever roles I have played till date whether it was my character in Kkusum or Ek Mahal ho Sapno ka. Two months before my marriage in 2004, I was left with no work. I started doing a lot of shows on Doordarshan. Post marriage as well, I was absolutely jobless for three months. I was really stressed and then Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai happened to me. Jo mila usko imaandari se kiya and maybe that’s why I’m where I’m today. It has been 12 years since Sarabhai now. I may be getting many offers for serials now where I’m getting a lot of respect and where I can play the lead but the struggle continues. Once you wrap up a serial, the struggle for another one starts. In our industry, sab ek dusre ke liye struggle bana ke rakhte hai! There’s no politics, it’s just the requirement. If you suit the requirement you’re on, if you are not, nothing will happen.
Would you say that you have now established yourself?
There’s no establishment in acting. The only thing is that people start knowing you. You have to keep on doing good work to prove time and time again that you’re in the league. I’m finding it nice. It’s a very healthy competition in Mumbai.
Nagpur News
RMBRCN celebrates Charter Presentation & Installation, Rina Sinha becomes Charter President
The Rotary Means Business chapter of Rotary Club Of Nagpur (RMBRCN) celebrated their Charter Presentation and Installation of Board on September 17, 2023 in a crisp official ceremony at Hotel Centre Point, Nagpur.
Rotary Means Business encourages Rotarians to support the success of their fellow Rotarians by doing business with them and by referring others to them.
Charter President Past President Rtn Rina Sinha presided over the ceremony. Renowned entrepreneur and Rotarian Aspi Bapuna, Chairman of Bapuna Group, was the Chief Guest and Rtn Namita Sharma, President of RCN, was the Guest of Honour.
The Board of Directors of RMBRCN include Rtn Navneet Jain, Vice President, Rtn Mohammed Master, Honorary Secretary, Rtn Sanjay Aggarwal Treasurer, Rtn Rakhi Bhatia Director Chapter Service, Rtn Rahul Shrivastava, Director Vocational Service, Dr Ruchi Choudhry, Director Membership Development, Ranjana Duseja, Director Attendance.
Past Rotary District Governor (PDG) Shabbir Shakir, Past Presidents- Bharat Goenka , Khushnoor Chugh, Sanjiv Chugh, Akhtar Parvez, Tejinder Singh Rawal, Alok Goenka, Jerestine Watchmaker, Sandeep Dhodapkar, Sanjay Arora, President RMB Nagpur, and Behram Patel and Amitabh Sinha were present.
President Rina Sinha informed that within a short period of its formation already 48 members representing various businesses have joined the chapter and the numbers are increasing . The Chapter has already crossed 5 crores of business amongst their members and RMB will further strengthen Rotary in membership growth and retention .
Chief Guest Rtn Aspi Bapuna lauded the chapter’s success and reiterated that its comfortable and safe to do business among fellow rotarians as all follow the Four Way Test of Rotary. Jerestine introduced President Rina. Aspi Bapuna presented the charter and installed President Rina Sinha . Rtn Namita congratulated the RMB chapter and informed that this is the new initiative at RCN.The Board was installed by Rina Sinha and all members were installed by the Past Presidents. An exclusive digital Monthly Magazine ‘Growth Engine’ was launched by Editor Niharika Chugh Vali.
Navneet Jain and Rahul Choudhry conducted the referral and thank you session where enthusiastic members informed about their successful business details. Nishchay Sinha launched the social media and MYRMB app which connects members to other chapters digitally, Treasurer Sanjay Agarwal gave treasurers report, Rtn Rakhi Bhatia managed the event. Rtn Parag Datey and Niharika were the Masters of Ceremony (MOCs). Secretary Mohammed Master proposed the formal Vote of Thanks .
Nagpur News
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates double-decker electric bus availed for senior citizens in Nagpur
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday, inaugurated the double-decker electric bus designed for senior citizens in Nagpur. The initiative has been undertaken in association with Ashok Leyland’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Committee and Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan.
Executive President of Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan Datta Meghe, Vice Chairman of Ashok Leyland Limited Yash Sachar, CEO of Switch Mobility Mahesh Babu, and other dignitaries were present during the inauguration.
“I am very thankful to Ashok Leyland’s electric vehicle arm ‘Switch Mobility’ for donating an electric bus for our senior citizens. The bus can hold a capacity of 65 people and will benefit a lot to disabled and senior citizens,” Gadkari said.
“We already have a green Electra bus available to us for the past five to six years. Krishna Reddy has taken the responsibility of repairing and providing air-conditioning to the bus, moreover, he is providing us with one additional bus. A Tata Motor bus will be arriving this month as well, giving us a total of four buses to operate. This will solve the issue of waiting list due to the lack of buses for senior citizens in the city.” he added.
With the help of these buses, senior citizens can avail the benefit of free trips to religious places like Ambhora, Adasa, Shegaon, Mahur, Dhapewada, and Kalamb.
Also read: NMC confiscates 117 PoP idols, collects Rs 10,000 fine from seller
A 38-year-old married man named Manish alias Raj Yadav, on Sunday, committed suicide during a Facebook live-stream after allegedly being accused of rape by his girlfriend and her family in Nagpur.
During the live stream, Manish, who was married and a father to three children, stated that his 19-year-old girlfriend, Kajal, along with her family members demanded a sum of five lakh rupees and threatened to press charges of rape if he failed to do so.
On September 6, the situation became grave as the woman’s family accused him of eloping after Kajal went missing from her residence.
The deceased refused the claims of having any sexual relationship with the woman and identified her, her family, and a photo studio operator responsible for his condition. He, then, jumped into the river.
After the live video surfaced online, Kalamna Police launched a search operation and recovered the deceased’s body from the river. Four people have been detained in the case for questioning. Further investigation is underway.
Also read: NMC confiscates 117 PoP idols, collects Rs 10,000 fine from seller
RMBRCN celebrates Charter Presentation & Installation, Rina Sinha becomes Charter President
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates double-decker electric bus availed for senior citizens in Nagpur
Nagpur: Married man accused of girlfriend’s rape commits suicide on Facebook live
NMC confiscates 117 PoP idols, collects Rs 10,000 fine from seller
Jayaswal Neco group celebrate BL Shaw’s 90th Birthday, 50th Founder’s Day in a huge gala event in Nagpur
Queen’s coffin laid to rest in Edinburgh for the night
2 charred to death, 1 injured during funeral in Nagpur
SUV blows up parked cars, climbs on footpath leaving 5 injured at Nagpur’s Panchsheel Chowk
4 arrested for gang raping 30-yr-old at New Delhi railway station
8-yr-old sits by road with brother’s body as father tries to arrange vehicle to return home
Nagpur entrepreneur Siddharth Prasad launches Brew 31
Dance enthusiasts, friends pay tribute in loving memory of Tiki Peters in Nagpur
Nagpur’s who’s who seek Lord Shiva’s blessings during Gupta’s customary Maha Shivratri celebrations
Shivaji Jayanti celebrations held at DPS Kamptee in Nagpur
