'Got into fights...': Rajeev Khandelwal recalls quitting 'Kahiin Toh Hoga'
What's the story
Bollywood and TV actor Rajeev Khandelwal, who shot to nationwide fame with Ektaa Kapoor's Kahiin Toh Hoga, recently opened up about his decision to leave the show. In a recent interview with Screen, he revealed that he was "overwhelmed" by the enormous love and attention from fans after his performance as Sujal Grewal on the show. However, this also led him to feel that he couldn't give them the quality they deserved.
Pressure
'Couldn't handle it...thought I was not giving them back'
Khandelwal confessed that he struggled to handle the pressure of living up to the audience's expectations. He wanted to distance himself from the "romantic, brooding image" associated with Sujal, so he consciously avoided similar roles. "When I quit the show, it was only because I couldn't handle it. People loved me so much and I thought I was not giving them back in terms of quality," he said.
Misunderstandings
'Too big for his boots...': Khandelwal recalls criticism
Khandelwal also spoke about the misconceptions people had when he left Kahiin Toh Hoga. "People wrote things like, 'He has become too big for his boots,' but nobody knew the truth. What came across was that I locked horns with Ektaa, that I was leaving her, and I must be thinking that I had arrived." "I quit the show at its peak, refused the money, the popularity,y so many thought I was egoistic."
Negotiations
Khandelwal shares his last meeting with the producers of 'KTH'
Khandelwal also shared his last meeting with the producers of Kahiin Toh Hoga. He revealed that he had a "lot of fights" with producers because nobody is happy when an actor walks out of a successful show. "When I was walking out of Kahiin Toh Hoga, I went to Shobha (Kapoor) aunty. They said they would increase my remuneration, and I said reduce it, but give me quality."
Career
Meanwhile, on the work front
After leaving Kahiin Toh Hoga, Khandelwal was aware that he wouldn't get much work on TV. He has since appeared in several web shows, including Naxalbari and Showtime. He has also acted in movies such as Aamir and Bloody Daddy. In his latest project, The Secret of the Shiledars, he starred alongside Sai Tamhankar and Gaurav Amlani. The series is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and is streaming on JioHotstar.