My respect for anchors has grown: Karanvir

Actor Karanvir Bohra’s perception for anchors has completely changed after hosting his first fullfledged TV reality show. “I have a newfound respect for fellow anchors, hosts and comperers. I thought it was a piece of cake. I have done a bit of it before, but not in such a large scale. This requires a lot of endurance-- physical, mental, speech and energy,” he tells HT City on his visit to Lucknow. The actor also put up a post on Instagram earlier this morning saluting the anchors. “My feet are swollen for standing for hours and my mouth is parched after talking so much. My acting and theatre experience has helped as there is a lot of drama here too. Also, it needs lot of impromptu improvisation. But then, I have tasted blood…and I am hungry!” he says. Karanvir tried his hands in anchoring earlier too but did not succeed. “Some 10-12 years back I tried my hand as a VJ and gave many auditions but was rejected,” he says. This time his twin daughters Raya Bella and Vienna proved lucky for him. “When I was offered ‘India’s Best Judwaah’, I got very excited and to make a statement I told the makers that I too have newborn twins. It was then I was told that I have got the show due to this reason only,” he tells. He makes a statement for them, “Log apne becchon ko launch kartey hai but meri 8 month ki betiyon ne mujhe full-time anchoring ke liya launch kiya hai (my 8-monthold twin daughters have launched me as full-time anchor). They were born on Diwali and have proven as Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati for us.” His new show is about young identical twins from across the country who will compete for the title. Does the actor feel anchoring can help him get films, like it did for Aayushmaan Khurrana, Maneish Paul and others? “There is no right way to get into films. Bollywood is not an end stop. I am very clear in my head that films will not define me. Whatever I do makes an impression about me. So, I want to create a niche for myself. Yes, I want to do films but I am not in a hurry. My time will surely come and will do so by choosing the right role. I don’t want to commit a mistake in hurry,” he says. Karanvir has also completed feature film Humen Tumse Pyar Kitna. “I play an obsessed lover in the film…which is my forte. I just can’t play a simple romantic role. He is a psychoromantic lover like Shah Rukh Khan was in Daar. It’s in a very interesting space and I am sure the audience will love it when it releases later this year,” he says. The film stars new girl Priya Banerjee and Sameer Kochar. He has done shows like Kasautii Zindagi Ki, Kkusum, Saubhagywati, Qubool Hai and recently Naagin-2. On his second visit to Lucknow, he says, “I am very impressed with the infrastructure that has come up. I have not seen much of the city but I know about its tasty food. I am always on a strict diet but today I am going to bend my rules for biryani’s sake.”

Log apne becchon ko launch kartey hai but meri eight month ki betiyon ne mujhe full-time anchoring ke liya launch kiya hai. They were born on Diwali and have proven as Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati for us. KARANVIR BOHRA, ACTOR/ ANCHOR

PHOTO: DHEERAJ DHAWAN/HT