Pankaj Dheer, the Sarpanch

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Veteran actor Pankaj Dheer, still famous and recognisable for his strong portrayal as Karna in B.R.Chopra’s Mahabharat, is now working with the younger set of television actors. Pankaj is currently seen in two shows, STAR Plus' Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and STAR One’s newly launched Rang Badalti Odhani, in which he plays the character of the Sarpanch.

Pankaj is an industry insider in more than one way. He own six studios in Mumbai, is offering a cinematography course, and very soon will be launching a production company that will focus on making short films. In addition to all this, his brother owns a television channel AARTI TV in Sri Lanka which specialises in devotional and cultural content. In 30 days of the month, Pankaj says he gives 15 days to his two successful shows and 10 days for his business. Know more about this ‘master’ juggler!


How did the role of the Sarpanch come by? What made you accept it?

There are many reasons why I have taken up this show; I know the producer and the director very well. I liked the way they are presenting the show, with its Gujarati touch. My character is very strong...

How different is this role from your role in Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat?

In Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, I play a King who has a strong personality, who is the ruler of his province while in Odhani I play the role of Sarpanch, who loves justice.

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• Pankaj Dheer and Paintal to start acting academy too

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What are your tips to the young actors of Odhani – Yashashri, Harpreet Singh and Karan for them to improve?

All are at their learning stage and these days all the young actors want easy money and fame. Yashashri is fine and she has a very bubbly nature. I would like to give one tip to all of them: Work hard. This is my guru mantra. And then fame and money will follow. They also have to work on their expressions.

What is it about Odhani’s rustic theme that makes it stand apart from other such shows?

The theme of the show looks very authentic; especially the Kutch background makes it very real from all other shows...

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Tell us more about him.

He is the elected head of the village in which Khanak and Suraj reside. The 57 year old Sarpanch wields a lot of power and authority and his judgment is taken as the final word by the village people and no one questions his verdict. He is a man of wisdom, who believes in exercising his power for the good of people and in bringing fair justice to the village folk. He wants the welfare of the girls.

You've been doing this a long time. How are today's young actors like Yashashri, Karan from Odhani and Kapil Nirmal from Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat?

In my career, I have worked with so many young actors and each young actor has different plus points, so I really can't tell. But it is fun to work with them!

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Which are your favourite TV shows and why?

I really don’t have any favourite shows because all the shows are regressive, especially Balika Vadhu, we all know that child marriage was a bad custom but to highlight this topic which only appeals to rural India and not urban India is not wise.

Favourite television actor and actress, since you have opened an acting academy?

I don’t really have any favourite TV actors but recently I saw some portions of Balika Vadhu in which I liked the role of dadisa played by Surekha Sikri then amongst the television actors I like the boy, Shekhar, played by Abhishek Rawat who is there in Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Kijio, I think these actor should work in films and not in daily soaps.

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About your acting academy, what will aspiring students get to learn from your academy?

I have recently opened Abhinay Acting Academy, where we will train and polish aspiring young talent. The Faculty Head of the academy is Gufi Paintal, who is a very dear friend of mine, and there are other learned people from FTII. We'll have four-month and six-months course, and charge Rs.90,000/- for the smaller course. I share a good rapport with Gufi Paintal (he played the role of Shakuni Mama in B.R.Chopra’s Mahabharat) and our friendship started right from the Mahabharata days. He is like family to me...

Akshay Kumar came for the opening of your academy, which must have felt great. Since when have you been friends?

I know him from his early days. He had given his first shot of his first film with me. I just told him over the phone about my academy and he agreed to come without hesitation and without any attitude. Akshay hasn’t changed himself at all, for me he is like a younger brother. Some of his early films like Saugandh, Mr.Bond, Ikke Pe Ikka were produced by me and I had also acted in them. He is very humble and he still wants to learn more, which I really liked about him. He spent more than an hour with us discussing the academy.