Kunal Bhan opens up about harsh reality of TV industry, reveals why he took a break: ‘Long working hours…’| Exclusive

Actor Kunal Bhan catapulted to fame with his character of Dr. Rahil Shekhar in the medical drama Sanjivani (2019-2020). However, soon after, he took an unexpected break from television, leaving his fans surprised. Recently, in a conversation with india.com, Kunal revealed why he took a sudden exit from the TV industry.

Kunal Bhan shares why he stepped away from Television

When asked Kunal, was it a conscious decision to take an exit from the small screen, the actor said, “Yeah, predominantly is because of the long working hours that you have on TV. Considering the fact that you have to shoot every day, unlike films or shows where the schedules are more flexible. But in TV you have to stay, the time commitment is very scary process.” Kunal lives with his grandmother and don’t want to leave her alone for long hours. “The only reason is because I stay with my grandmother. I don’t want her to stay that long alone, she is very paranoid about staying alone, so I try to be at home as much as I can.” He said.

Kunal further added, “Sanjivani was always a huge thing in my childhood and I think everyone remembers it. Honestly, it’s quite rare to find such shows on television today. If something like this happens and my grandmother is fine with the long working hours, I’ll be hundred percent open to doing it.”

Kunal Bhan finds TV shows no longer engaging

The Jubliee actor said that television shows are no longer interesting, instead they are just rehash versions. “I don’t think the stories which are fun are now told on the platform. It’s all the rehash version. And also, jo bhi main dekh raha hun, and I also asked my grandmother, she just said that its just sequel of shows now. So, if there is a strong story that appeals to me, I would do it, like the sitcoms we had Sarabhai vs Sarabhai or Khichdi.“

Besides a fascinating story, Kunal admits that he also wants a fixed monthly paycheck to ensure financial stability. “See, i am not someone who comes from a strong financial background. So, if a platform like TV gives you great money or a monthly check- which, in a way, I would say is a creative desk job- why would I say no?.”

Kunal Bhan on TV actors being treated differently in India

Kunal Bhan addressed the issue of  labels often associated with TV actors. He expressed, “You know the issue is at some point, we like it or not, we are public figures. If you are in the acting profession, you automatically become a public figure and you have to curate that image in some shape or form, right. Unfortunately, the general mentality here tends to differentiate between actors or TV actors. That kind of discrepancy exists only in our country- you don’t see it anywhere else in the world. But until it gets eradicated and I still wonder what’s the solution is to eradicate that- maybe making better shows can do that, unless that happens the conscious decision is to stay away from television.”

Meanwhile, Kunal Bhan was recently seen in Gamerlog, which is available for streaming on Amazon MX Player. Helmed by Arya Deo, the Esports series features a talented young cast including Darsheel Safary, Anjali Sivaraman, Chinmay Chandraunshuh, Chetan Dhawan, Shubroy Chowdhury, and Akash Menon in key roles.

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