What makes Nikkhil Arya take breaks between projects? A desire to take up a project different from his previous one. This time, he has returned to television after a year-and-a-half with Yash Patnaik’s Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal. Talking about being selective when it comes to working, Nikkhil, last seen in Brahmarakshas, says, “The intention is never to take a break from work but monotony. Playing a character for a long time can make an artiste feel stagnant. So, I take frequent breaks to keep my mind and approach fresh. Besides, I utilise the time away from work in reinventing myself. I took a year off after my last show to work on myself and become leaner and fitter. My hard work paid off as I bagged the sweet guy role immediately after the transformation. It took me a decade and 10 kilos to look like a mama’s boy again. I am always in pursuit of becoming a better version of myself.”
He plays a teacher with expertise on beasts and bhediyas. While he has bagged an interesting character, many of his peers complain about the conventional content on television. They believe the onus to revive the medium lies on producers and GECs. Nikkhil says, “I don’t blame the makers and channels because they make content based on the audience’s likes and dislikes. They also have to take commercials into account, as it is business at the end of the day. However, I can’t deny that we also tend to underestimate the audience’s intelligence. We need to push the envelope. The shelf-life of most serials today is less than six months on average. My reason to take up TIMG is that it is a finite show with great content”
He adds, “I didn’t want to repeat myself and was close to doing a couple of shows on OTT. Though not every series is top-notch, the fact that great shows are providing a platform for talented artists and technicians and letting them soar is commendable. We’re going through a great phase, and it is time to stay in the race.”
