Exclusive! Harsh Rajput: Naagin, daayan, vampires have been part of Indian stories for ages; they are not inspired from any other shows


TNN
Tanvi Trivedi
Updated: Jan 31, 2021

Harsh Rajput

Harsh Rajput may have done a supernatural show (Nazar) earlier, but that’s not why he has chosen to play the lead in his next, which is also another fantasy-fiction show – Kuch Toh Hai – Naagin Ek Naye Rang Mein, a spin off from Naagin 5. Harsh, who will play a vampire in the show, said, “I have been in the industry for 14 years now and I feel this is a result of all the hard work and efforts for many years. But, yes, I do love being part of supernatural shows. I played Daavansh in Nazar and maybe people liked that character and the makers felt I would suit the vampire character in Kuch Toh Hai.”

Harsh added, “I have been a fan of superhero, fiction-fantasy characters and stories since childhood. It was my childhood dream to play these characters, which we read about in books; and watched in films. I have been a fan of the international television show Vampire Diaries, too. I haven’t seen many Dracula films but it is also an iconic character. Somewhere, my childhood dream of playing such characters is coming true.”

Ask Harsh about Indian TV shows getting inspired from supernatural shows abroad and he said, “Vampire is not a character that originated from international TV shows. We have grown up hearing stories of vampires, so why should we get inspired? In fact, I do feel that people happily watch international supernatural shows and so there is no reason for them to look down and say Indian TV shows are inspired from them. Naagin, daayan, pisachini, vampires were all part of Indian stories and if the makers are bringing those characters to Indian television, why not?”

Harsh confesses that he is following a strict diet regime to look the part. He said, “I have been following the 80:20 diet, wherein my food consists of 80 per cent proteins and the remaining 20 percent are veggies. I also spend around two hours in the gym because a fantasy-fiction show requires much more effort as you are performing daredevil stunts unlike a regular TV show, which is mostly shot in the kitchen, bedroom or drawing room.

On a funny note, we asked Harsh to react if he were a vampire in real life and he said, “No, I get dizzy when I get a cut or see blood on my own finger, how will I drink anyone’s blood? I am happy being an actor and enacting such interesting roles. I am really looking forward to this new beginning after spending many months at home during the pandemic.”