Is there anyone who isn't a fan of Dheeraj Dhoopar? Flooring women, of course, his wife Vinny Arora Dhoopar too, the actor has created a unique space for himself in the television industry. From today, he will don the hat of Raj, a standup comedian, in Colors' show Sherdil Shergill. Co-starring Surbhi Chandna, the show will premiere tonight. 

In an exclusive interview with PeepingMoon.com, Dheeraj spoke about signing Sherdil Shergill, choosing experimental shows over sureshot formulaic ones, the chemistry and comfort he shares with Surbhi and exploring the web space in the future. 

Recommended Read: PeepingMoon Exclusive: Declined shows as they didn't match my ideology, wanted to come back stronger after Naagin 5- Surbhi Chandna on returning to TV with Sherdil Shergill

Excerpts from the interview: 

You've been known for doing dynamic roles. Is that why you chose Sherdil Shergill?

My character in Sherdil Shergill is dynamic too. It is a new age show. My character, Rajkumar Yadav, is a standup comedian. He is the son of a billionaire and his father wants him to become an architect but he has no interest in it and wants to prove that he can make an identity for himself by choosing the profession of his choice. I said yes to the show immediately after the producer narrated it to me. In one of my shows, I played a cricketer and now, it is a standup comedian. I don’t think any actor has played a standup comedian in an Indian television show. 

How similar or different are Dheeraj Dhoopar and Raj from each other? 

I don’t think there are many differences. Though we aren’t similar too, wittiness is something that binds us together.  

What if Sherdil Shergill streamed on an OTT platform instead of television screens?

See, OTT has a different audience; TV is vast. I did supernatural shows like Sasural Simar Ka, and Naagin 5 followed by a daily soap like Kundali Bhagya; the best part was both shows got good viewership. I would love it if Sherdil Shergill airs on both mediums. The audience who watches my shows are women who might not be able to enjoy the luxury of sitting in their bedroom and watching shows on their phones or laptops. They manage to catch up on shows while working or doing household chores. 

You are reuniting with Surbhi Chandna after Naagin 5. Any improvement in your chemistry? 

It has become better. Everything becomes easy and fun if your co-star is also your friend. With Surbhi, I don’t have to think twice about doing a scene. 

Everything on TV is an experiment. Do you like to stick to formulaic shows or explore uncharted territory? 

I am never scared of experimenting and that’s why I am doing Sherdil Shergill. I quit Sasural Simar Ka, did Kundali Bhagya and then came here. In the TV industry, you cannot plan a show or character’s journey. Some shows are great in terms of content but the desired numbers are not fetched. On the other hand, a show can excel number-wise despite poor content. As an actor, my job is to go and act. I do believe in the TRP system and do check every week.

Are you in favour of finite or infinite shows? 

This is the first finite show I am doing. I did Sasural Simar Ka for 6 years and Kundali Bhagya for 5 years. It is a great experience when it comes to finite shows as you know the beginning and end of a story. In between, you can create quality content. I am okay with finite as well as infinite but I am sure that after a year, I will be doing something different. 

Did you feel redundant after doing back-to-back infinite shows?

No, I never got bored of my job. Main har din set pe same energy ke saath jaata hu. I keep experimenting with my characters. My character in Kundali Bhagya was named Karan Luthra so I decided to add ‘The’ as a prefix. 'The Karan Luthra' became the most followed hashtag on Instagram. 

Should second seasons of TV shows head to the OTT space?

The reach television shows offer is different. Even people in the remotest village of India know me as Karan Luthra. This is something we all crave for. OTT isn’t bad but we should take advantage of both mediums. 

Are you open to doing OTT shows?

Absolutely! If something as good as what I am doing on TV comes to me, why not? I don’t mind if the story wants me to go bold. If the content has quality, I will do it. There's no point in switching mediums just for the sake of it.  

Is there any particular filmmaker you wish to work with? 

I would like to do a Dharma Productions commercial film. I wish to do a grey-shade character, a biopic and a lot more but before that, a commercial film is certainly my goal. 

Have you signed any film yet? 

As of now, there's nothing but talks are on for a few films and OTT projects.