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The Baabul Ka Aangan Chootey Na actor says he is more than happy to play Shiv, the new man in our fave lady’s life

One thousand episodes later, Balika Vadhu has seen a new character Shiv enter the show. Anandi and Jagya’s tumultuous relationship has come to an end. Anandi’s in-laws are now in search of a new husband for her. The feisty lady has no idea about their plans and is ornery when she meets Shiv for the first time. Whether Anandi will be able to move on from Jagya and into the arms of Shiv is something even the actors playing the two characters – Pratyusha Banerjee and Sidharth Shukla – insist they are unaware of.

You remember Sidharth? The handsome dude from Baabul Ka Aangan Chootey Na and Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh Ajnabi? The former Gladrags Mega Model winner admits, “I am the new man in Anandi’s life.” “I play a Collector. Shiv is honest, straightforward and very particular about his work.” Those qualities don’t seem to be far from what Sidharth is in real life too. “I’ve learnt my craft on the job,” he reveals. “I am not insecure as an actor. In this industry you can never be sure when you will get work. You can’t say this is the plan. That’s why I’ve stopped planning anything. I just go with the flow.” He is more than happy to be a part of the top-rated show. “I didn’t have any second thoughts about doing it. I’ve caught it briefly before I signed it because my mother and sister watch it. Now that I am on the show, they don’t have to leave their favourite show just to watch mine,” he laughs.

While Sidharth was part of his earlier shows from the time they started, this time around, he has signed up to enter a show at its peak. Isn’t this more of a challenge? “I don’t know about that. You just add more pressure on yourself instead of the pressure coming from others. When the show has been running successfully for 1000 episodes, it has a dedicated fan following. You want to make your mark and so put pressure on yourself. That pressure makes you work,” he explains.

Despite his hectic schedule, Sidharth takes time to do what he loves best – work out. “I have always been working out for an hour or an hour and a half. It’s not something I do for a reason. I do it because I like to. If you did it for a reason, you’ll stop doing it once the reason has ended. When you want to do something, you’ll definitely take the time out for it,” he says. Wouldn’t you love to see the results of all that labour of love on your screens? We are keeping our fingers crossed. Are you?