I want to be a part of scripts, which are exciting, which help me to extend my range as an actor, says Rajeev Khandelwal

How has the journey been from the Pink City, Jaipur, to the bustling town of Mumbai?

It has been a great journey. I think I am a very happy and satisfied man. I didn’t have any plan at any point of time. I just knew that I’m going to be acting someday. I travelled from Jaipur to Delhi and from Delhi to Mumbai. If at any point of my life I look back, it makes me smile.

Was it difficult to enter this industry without any godfather?

I think to survive on this earth is itself very difficult. I don’t want to glorify my struggle by saying that it was very difficult. It is a part of our lives which everyone goes through. The struggling period is not easy for anyone in any profession. It is just that my profession is written about so it looks as if our struggle is huge. But nothing comes easy in this world. I don’t want to be the one saying that I don’t have a godfather and have survived it; everyone else is fighting their own battles too.

You had a full-time job. What made you quit it?

I have always chased my dreams, as I believe things don’t come to you if you don’t chase them. From my third grade, I wanted to be an actor. But then I didn’t really take acting seriously, although I lived with the dream of becoming an actor. I had given up on the thought of being an actor when I was in college. But again, after college I pursued my dream and now here I am.

You had a love marriage this year. Tell us about your first meeting with your wife.

I met Manjiri (Kamtikar) in a club. I had gone there with her sister, who was my friend since the last four years. I used to playfully keep bothering and irritating her to introduce me to her younger sister, though I never intended anything really. But I think it was destined. Accidentally she happened to be in a place where we all were parting, so my friend asked me if I wanted to meet her. I said okay. So, yeah, we clicked! I shouldn’t have gone that day (laughs)…

Your looks aren’t all that aggressive, yet we mostly see you in serious roles. Why?

I try to be a part of good films. I am happy today that I have been a part of very good projects and have worked with talented directors of the industry like Raj Kumar Gupta, Bejoy Nambiar. I want to be a part of scripts, which are exciting, which help me to extend my range as an actor. This is my learning ground as I don’t come from any school. The idea is to feel like a good actor and not just be known as a good actor.

You have been the host of the blockbuster show Sach Ka Saamna (Indian version of the US show The Moment of Truth). Would you share some memories from the show?

We all are human beings; we come from the same planet. The truth spoken on the show doesn’t really shock anyone. What shocked most of the people was the courage of the participants to speak the truth in front of the nation; that how could someone confess on such a platform? Truths like someone cheating on his wife, girlfriend, lying, and two-timing someone, it is a part of life and everyone knows about it. We are hypocrites and so we don’t accept it. I was shocked initially, but later I marvelled at them because they made me feel so small. If someone asks me such questions, I would probably lie. Money is like a reward. It is a game show with the format that you are not really fighting against anyone but only against yourself and your conscious.

Tell us something truthful about yourself.

For all those people who think I’m an actor or a star, I still clean my washroom whenever possible. When I get up from bed, I still make my bed. When my helper is not at home, I make it a point to clean my entire house before leaving. I love doing it and it makes me feel satisfied that I can do my work on my own.