For someone who started acting in 2013, he has made a name for himself on the small screen. After debuting in Yeh Hai Aashiqui, he also starred in Ek Veer Ki Ardaas…Veera. He is currently acting in two shows Ye Hai Mohabbatein and Kavach…Kaali Shaktiyon Se. Meet Vivek Dahiya, who is the toast of the small screen.
Looking Back
Vivek admits that although he liked to act, it was always at the back burner. “I went to UK and did my Bachelors & Masters. I worked there for a couple of years in the corporate with no intention of pursuing acting seriously. I did a little bit of theatre as part of extracurricular activities. It just happened that destiny had me back in India and one thing led to another and I got into modelling. I wanted to move up the ladder so I came to Bombay and started auditioning and learnt with every audition what is required from the job and eventually got my first acting assignment.” So how was it playing Rajvir Thakur for Veera in a negative one in his debut serial? ”I really enjoyed playing that role. I used to get many hate messages and even got a threat from one of the students when I had killed someone on the show! I felt I had done a good job as the guy was convinced I had done it for real!” Incidentally, Vivek says that this was a versatile role where he explored different genres – romance, thrill, suspense, action, drama and even being possessed. “It was not a regular show with the usual set; it was shot on the best camera, we had a film camera and we had lot of outdoors also, it was pretty challenging which made it all the more interesting. I hope I’m able to take this learning forward. It was a school for me, an institution.”
Equal Partnership
Vivek got married earlier this year to his Ye Hai Mohabbatein co-actor Divyanka Tripathi, a versatile actor in her own right. So is it easy to work with your life partner, I ask him. “My wife is also an actor, which puts me in a greater position, because there is a different level of understanding and compatibility, not just personally but professionally also. Things like getting late from work, or an early pack up, there is always an understanding. While doing a scene also, I do find myself getting advice or suggestions or her point of view or her perception on a certain because it is always nice to have a second opinion. She is like my mentor, my best friend who I can share everything with, who is also ahead in the game. I feel blessed to have her as my wife.” Naturally there is a lot of media attention on him and his life. How does he handle it? “I do ponder at times, is it really for me? I guess I am doing a decent job that is getting me love and adulation not just within India but outside as well. It is like a dream, it is very overwhelming; it’s just very new to me. I have been in the industry from past 2 years and had my own show from the past 6 months, I feel that I’ve evolved and am getting better at my craft.”
Work Matters
With most television stars aiming for the big screen, I ask him if movies are on his mind too an dhe says, “I came to Bombay with a clear mind set that I want to act and it did not matter what the platform was – web series, TV, theatre or movies. All I want to do is follow my passion. If films happen, that will be amazing but I am not proactively persuasive towards that. My job is to act. I want to do it to the best of my capacity and capability.” His dream role is to play a special agent. “I would like to play someone from the intelligence team; living out of India, working on a special project who has a wife or a girlfriend and cannot reveal his status to anyone and has to keep to himself. I love to do action and at the same time I would love to explore romance, because in the last show, the genre of the show was supernatural, I did not get to explore romance as much. But I think I would love to tell a love story.” Outside work, Vivek loves working out, watching movies, travelling and be a part of different cultures, cuisines and interact with different people from all different walks of life. “I think I had a good taste of different genres while doing Kavach, it taught me a lot, I want to utilize everything I’ve learnt and give my best in the future on whatever platform. I am ready for bigger things now. Just be a part of bigger exposure, bigger roles and play my part to the best of my abilities,” he signs off.
This story appeared in the August 20, 2017 issue of Deccan Herald’s Sunday herald here.