Not thirsty to be in the public eye constantly: Arjun Mathur

Radhika Bhirani

There are celebrities who the paparazzi can’t seem to get enough of at the red carpets, airports or even outside gyms, and then there are some who prefer to be seen sparingly. Actor Arjun Mathur belongs to the latter group.

The 38-year-old, who had the spotlight on him for his performance as a gay character in web series Made In Heaven, has recently signed a new film, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli. He chooses few projects, and admits that it is because he prefers quality over quantity.

What are his criteria for selecting the projects? “There’s no one rule,” he says, adding, “It totally depends on project to project. It really has to be a coming together of all the rights — from its script to who is executing it, and to my own character in it. Made In Heaven was one such project where it fell together beautifully.”

Arjun, who has been in the industry for over 15 years, has featured in projects such as Luck By Chance (2009), My Name Is Khan (2010), I Am (2011), The Accidental Prime Minister and British drama series Indian Summers. Sustaining his presence in the industry is what he considers his mantra.

“I have always believed that I’m here to sustain my work over a long career... People will forget me, and then people will remember me again (with my work). It’s a circle. I don’t have a thirst to be constantly in the public eye or to constantly work. I’d much rather live my life the way I want to, and when I want to do something, then I would really like it to match up to my standards and expectations of myself,” he signs off.