Did roles that I never wanted to do, admits Sanjay Gagnani

Aknown name in the small screen circuit now, actor Sanjay Gagnani will never forget the struggles and uncertainties he faced during his initial years in the industry. However, the actor admits that he never gave up and made the most of whatever he had at hand. “The industry is very uncertain. I did five shows before Kundali Bhagya; none of them worked well and went off air in a few months only. I used to be out of work for good three-four months and sometimes, even a year. But I kept myself busy by doing episodic shows and doing roles that I don’t want to talk about,” Sanjay recalls. Due to this, the 31-year-old went through the most stressful time of his life, which he says is only natural. “That happens when you’re out of work. For an actor, who only aspires to entertain the audience though his work, sitting idle at home doing nothing can be very depressing, and it was a difficult phase,” he maintains.

Asked how he kept himself together in testing times and what kept him moving, Sanjay shares, “I used to put in double effort, keeping myself busy by going to dance class, hitting the gym, running, watching films and polishing my skills. I also knocked the doors of different production houses, casting directors and asked them for work.”

The actor goes on to reveal that he even took up smaller roles which he “never wanted to do” in the first place. Does he regret that? “No regrets, because even when playing small roles in episodic shows, the satisfaction I got getting back to sets and facing the camera, I think only an actor can understand that. But at that point of time, I used to crib that I don’t want to play the role, but I did them just to face the camera,” says the actor, calling those parts “an acting workshop” which helped him grow and understand the craft and medium better.

For an actor... sitting idle at home can be very depressing, and it was a difficult phase... I used to put in double effort, keeping myself busy by going to dance class, hitting the gym, running, watching films and polishing my skills.

SANJAY GAGNANI ACTOR