Rajesh is in a gangster’s world

Popular Marathi film actor Rajesh Shringarpure, who has been lauded for his performance in Hindi films like Sarkar Raj, will play a gangster in the first story of the new crime-based show Encounter. The show is being hosted by Manoj Bajpai, who incidentally is also popular for his portrayal of fictional gangster Bhiku Mhatre in Satya. Rajesh says, “I didn’t get to interact with Manoj as we were shooting at different locations. But he is a fantastic actor and is doing a good job as a host as well.”

For Rajesh who has starred in many films, he admits that adjusting to the demands of TV was quite an experience. He says, “When you are doing a TV show, you can’t do anything else. It takes up all your time and energy. Since this show has different stories every week, it didn’t take too many days. Although I am open to working for television, I will only do it when I am free from my film commitments.”

Speaking about how he bagged the role in Encounter, the actor says, “I was approached by the production house and the channel, who had seen my previous work, so there was no audition or test. I liked the story; it portrays a gangster’s life from the time of innocence to him becoming a don. The character has a lot of different shades and the role really excited me.”

Rajesh is excited about the response to his work. It has also been a humbling experience for him. He says, “A veteran stunt mas- ter who has worked with stars like Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan called me up after seeing the promos. It was nice to receive compliments from someone who is so respected in the industry. He didn’t even have my number but he put in the effort to get it just to call me and congratulate me for my work.”

Although I am open to working for television, I will only do it when I am free from my film commitments