'Sanjivani' star Arjun Punj returns to TV with 'Yaadein'
What's the story
After a hiatus of over a decade, actor Arjun Punj returned to television with the show Yaadein. In an interview with Mid-Day, he spoke about his excitement for this new journey, his character in the show, and the nostalgia of working on a set similar to Sanjivani. "I'm honestly really excited...to have a show like this and to see myself on screen on a show like this, to have other options and a new beginning," he said.
Role details
On his character
Punj revealed why he was drawn to his character.
"What I liked about my character is that he's a very chill guy...Though he's with Shrishti and their daughter is being taken care of by them and is in love with Shrishti, he's naturally very soft, kind-hearted, breezy kind of a guy."
"Zyada tension nahi hai usko (He doesn't have much tension). And I think a problem solver, log tension lete hain (people take tension), and he just helps everyone out."
Emotional journey
Returning to a familiar set
Since Yaadein is also a medical drama, things got nostalgic for Punj.
"My first look test...was on the set, and the moment I entered, it was so nostalgic because, you know, the Sanjivani set was very similar."
"I'm like, 'Oh my god, what is this happening?' And as you just said, a 'comeback,' and that was a show which made my character really popular. And now this show with a similar setup, what better, I could have asked for?"
Personal life
Keeping the secret
Punj also revealed how he and his wife, actor Gurdeep Punj, kept the news a secret until the official announcement.
"Keep quiet, keep quiet, don't tell anyone, let it come out first then we'll tell," he remembered Gurdeep telling him.
"Because there were a lot of hits and misses during the vibe," Punj explained.
Yaadein is airing on Sony Sab.