On home turf, ‘Rangeela’ Param gorges on Lucknow food!

Actor Param Singh’s recent visit to the state capital was like a homecoming. Born in Kanpur, the actor was back in his state after 10 years. “My parents belong to Kanpur (Lajpat Nagar) so it’s a great feeling coming to the twin city where I used to spend my vacations. Hazratganj and Aminabad were my favourite hotspots. Even producers of my show, Saurabh Tewari and Rahil Qazi (also a writer), are from Lucknow,” he tells HT City.

Few months after Param’s birth, his parents shifted to Mumbai where he was brought up. “The first thing after the promotion was visiting Old City to catch up with Ramzaan festivities. I gorged on galavati kebabs which were sumptuous. I tried kulcha-nehari but they were no match to the kebabs. Kulfi was also mind blowing but the icing on the cake was melt-in-mouth paan-gilouri. I never had something like this before. Now, I will have to compensate for my binging by being on fruits and liquid diet for few days,” he says.

Param’s first encounter with acting came when he was in Class 7. “Helen of Troy was my first play where I played the part of Helen. I was a cute looking boy and used to wear a turban then so my teacher opened my hair, put some lipstick and all that make-up. I got applause for the role and enjoyed doing it. Thereafter, I started participating in plays,” he tells.

He did his entire schooling from Mumbai and masters in finance from London. “On returning, I joined Barry John Acting School and started doing modelling and commercials. I was recommended for Sadda Haq where I played the lead role of Randhir Singh Shekhawat for over 800 episodes,” he tells.

Soon after the show he bagged lead role in Ghulaam where he plays the lead role of Rangeela. “The show has completed 100 episodes and my character has transformed from a tamed lion (ghulaam) to an independent individual. He is an anti-hero — he does what he feels right and does not care about laws and its consequences,” he says.

On comparison between of Rangeela and Param he says that he too stands for what’s wrong but will never take law in his own hand. “The biggest similarity is that both love their mother,” he says proudly.

The actor learnt Haryanvi and worked on his diction to play Rangeela. He learnt action, horse-riding and even how to drive a bulldozer and a truck, he adds.

Now, I will have to compensate for my binging by being on fruits and liquid diet for few days VISHAL BHARDWAJ, FILMMAKER

PHOTO: DHEERAJ DHAWAN/HT