Mumbai: Actor and Bigg Boss 13 fame Arhaan Khan has come a long way since beginning his career with modelling, fashion shows and print campaigns. Over the years, he has explored television, films and even worked in the South Indian film industry. In a recent conversation, Arhaan opened up about his journey, the kind of roles he wants to explore and why he does not let social media trolling get to him.
Talking about where it all started for him, Arhaan said, “My career started with modelling, fashion shows and print. I started my career as a model and then I did television shows. After that, I did a film in the South as well.”
One of the projects that stands out in his journey is Srivalli, directed by filmmaker and screenwriter Vijayendra Prasad. Talking about the film, Arhaan said, “I did a film called Srivalli, which was directed by Vijayendra Prasad. He is Rajamouli sir’s father and one of the biggest and most capable writers in India. He has written films like Baahubali, Magadheera, Eega and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Srivalli was made in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and is also available on Amazon Prime.”
Arhaan has also played characters that were very different from his real personality. Recalling one such role in Bado Bahu, he said, “All the characters are opposite to your personality in some way. I did a show called Bado Bahu, which we did for three years. I played a Hanuman ji devotee and a very decent wrestler. Wrestling had nothing to do with me, but we went to Haryana for the training. We actually trained in wrestling, and that show was very difficult.”
For Arhaan, acting was something he had imagined himself doing from a young age. “Since childhood, we have always thought this way because the people we followed, the people we watched, are the ones we started dressing like, walking like and even going to the gym because of. So, since childhood, I felt like I was meant to be a hero,” he shared.
When asked what success means to him, Arhaan said it is not simply about popularity. For him, becoming capable in his chosen field matters more. “For me, success means becoming capable. Whatever work you are doing, whatever field you are in and whatever kind of work you do, you should become capable in that field,” he said.
Arhaan also spoke about his approach towards social media and online trolling. Unlike many celebrities who regularly keep an eye on what is being said about them online, he prefers to stay away from it. “Social media does not affect me. Ninety per cent of the time, I don’t even look at it. I have a team that looks at it,” he revealed.
He added with a laugh, “If trolls don’t spare Shah Rukh Khan, then who are we? So it doesn’t matter. The people who want to talk will talk. There are always people sitting around trolling someone or the other. Don’t think about it.”
When it comes to his dream collaboration, Arhaan does not need even a second to think about his answer. “Without thinking twice, Mr Shah Rukh Khan. I don’t think anyone who has dreamed of becoming an actor hasn’t dreamed of working with him. I’m sure everyone has that dream,” he said.
Arhaan is also keen to experiment as an actor and does not want to restrict himself to one particular genre. “I want to do all kinds of roles. Emotional, romance, action, everything,” he said.
He believes there is still a lot left for him to explore as an actor. “There are so many roles still left to come in my career. There are many roles that I would want to play for the first time and even play again. Just pick any film. Look at Dhurandhar, Bajrangi Bhaijaan or My Name Is Khan. There are so many kinds of roles in the industry,” he said.
While acting remains an important part of his life, Arhaan has also built a career outside the entertainment industry. He revealed, “I am a jewellery designer. I have done a course in jewellery designing. I am also a gemologist and have done a course in gemology. So, even if I wasn’t in the film industry, I would still be doing some other business.”
He further shared that his work takes him to different parts of the world. “I have my own business and I am into gems and jewellery. I stay in Zambia, so I work there as well. I also go to Dubai and work there. So, apart from acting, there are many other things that I do,” he said.
Reflecting on the challenges faced by newcomers in the industry, Arhaan believes the biggest battle is with oneself. “The biggest challenge is fighting with yourself because success doesn’t come easily. It doesn’t come quickly. It takes a lot of time. You have to work hard, put in a lot of effort, have patience and make a lot of sacrifices in life. If you are ready for all this, then you should definitely do it,” he said.
Interestingly, Arhaan also shared his opinion about the current Bigg Boss season and revealed the contestant he would personally like to see inside the house. Speaking about Mahi, he said, “I know Mahi and I think she should go. She is an absolute Bigg Boss personality. She is an amazing person and an amazing girl. She is a very lovely person, so if Mahi goes, I would definitely want to watch her.”
He went a step further and predicted that she could make it to the finale. “One hundred percent, if Mahi is going, you can write it down right now. Mahi is in the top five. Because of the kind of personality she has and the kind of person she is, she will 100 per cent come in the top five,” Arhaan said.
After spending a considerable amount of time away from Mumbai, Arhaan is now ready to return to the screen. He revealed that he is currently working on projects in the South and also has Hindi work lined up.
“I am currently doing South films. I have two South films with me. They are good films and they are Telugu films. There are also one or two Hindi projects that I can’t disclose right now, but I will very soon,” he said.
Looking back at the past few years, Arhaan revealed that he deliberately stepped away from the spotlight after Bigg Boss. “I had actually gone quite far away from Bombay. After Bigg Boss, for three years, I was focusing on something else. I was not in the country. But now I am back, and you will get to see a lot of things from me,” he concluded.
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