Indian television has been a female-dominated medium, but off late the trend is changing. Ssharad Malhotra is of the belief that male actors have been gaining a foothold in the industry, with more roles being written keeping them in mind. “There are not enough male-centric roles on TV. I was lucky that I got to play the character of Rishi in Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki, which had many shades. Although the character is taxing, it is quite challenging and is very prominent in the show,” shares Ssharad. He continues, “Television has evolved from being just a female-dominated medium. A lot of shows have equal importance to both men and women. Men are doing a lot more than just being husbands or lovers. Things are definitely going in the right direction.”
The actor believes that moving away from saas-bahu shows is also helping the cause. He further adds, “Male characters are far more outspoken, expressive and bold today. Everybody is experimenting today. There are fewer saas-bahu shows and a lot more romance shows. Writers are also writing better scripts for men, compared to a few years ago.”
Talking about his journey in the show, Ssharad says, “Rishi is very different from my previous outing, Maharana Pratap. So this was a big change for my fans and me. Audiences have loved the show from the very beginning and that’s a huge relief — they share their love through emails and messages from different parts of the world. I have always followed my instincts and it seems to have worked. All my three shows — Banu Main Teri Dulhan, Maharana Pratap, and Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki have garnered decent ratings so it’s a hat trick for me.”
The actor has also been in news for dating television actress Pooja Bisht. Looking at the equation the duo shares, one would assume this relationship is pretty much for keeps. When we asked him about Pooja, the otherwise guarded actor opened up about his ladylove. He says, “She is special and an integral part of my life now. I am in a happier space now.”
