EXCLUSIVE: Shaheer Sheikh on Pavitra Rishta 2, stepping into SSR’s shoes and 8 years of Mahabharat

The actor says that he has made some friends on the sets of Mahabharat, who will stay in his life forever.

Updated on Sep 18, 2021  |  06:54 AM IST |  133.5K
EXCLUSIVE: Shaheer Sheikh on Pavitra Rishta 2, stepping into SSR’s shoes and 8 years of Mahabharat
EXCLUSIVE: Shaheer Sheikh on Pavitra Rishta 2, stepping into SSR’s shoes and 8 years of Mahabharat

Shaheer Sheikh has been receiving an encouraging response for his performance as Manav in ZEE5's Pavitra Rishta 2. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla recently, the actor says that he feels great, overwhelmed and humbled by the feedback. “I honestly kept the approach very basic, didn’t try to do anything different or something out of the box. I tried to keep it as simple as possible, and that’s how I thought Manav was. People have liked it which is a big relief. Most of the people who have given me their feedback have been on the positive side, which is a big achievement for me,” states Shaheer.

He informs that he was nervous when he had started playing the character. “But it was a big relief for me when Usha (Nadkarni) tai and Ankita (Lokhande) both approved the way I was looking - they thought I was looking the part. They could feel that earnestness, and the overall aura of the character was there, which was a big confidence booster for me, as they have spent so much time on the show. They were a part of season one and nobody could have judged that better than them,” says Shaheer, further talking about the pressure of stepping into Sushant Singh Rajput’s shoes. SSR had played Manav in the first season. 

“Honestly, whenever I am playing a character I try to forget everything else. I try to forget that I am Shaheer, so that makes it easier for me. To play a character you have to forget who you are. That’s how whatever I do on screen comes naturally, and that’s the biggest challenge to start living as the character. And for some reason with Manav - maybe the team was good or maybe because everyone tried to make me comfortable as they knew I was nervous - from day one I was at ease and I was Manav. It didn’t take me time to get into the character,” shares the actor.

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What has been the sweetest feedback he has received by far for playing Manav? “We were shooting for something, and Nandita (Mehra, director) ma’am and Ankita were watching a playback of something we had just shot - it was my close. They both looked at each other with surprise, and their explanation to me was, ‘You are looking Manav’, and that was a big relief for me. My moment of truth,” he states. 

Meanwhile, his TV show Mahabharat clocked 8 years yesterday. Talking about the same, Shaheer says, “I have made some friends on the set of Mahabharat who will be there in my life forever. There were some beautiful experiences while shooting, and how it changed me as a person. Most of the time you give to a character to bring it to life, but Arjun has given me so much, taught me so much, and how it has changed everything for me in my life. I owe a lot to the show and the character.”

ALSO READ: Pavitra Rishta 2 Review: Everything is same yet different in this Ankita Lokhande, Shaheer Sheikh starrer

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Credits: Pinkvilla Pic Credit: Shaheer Sheikh / Instagram
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