20 May,2026 03:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Shruti Sampat
Shantanu Maheshwari (Picture via Instagram)
Actor Shantanu Maheshwari continues to win audiences over with his charming performance in Campus Beats. As the show enters its sixth season, the actor exclusively speaks to mid-day reflecting on the unexpected success of the series, the changing landscape of youth-centric content, and why the project stood out for him despite already being associated with successful dance-based shows in the past.
Speaking candidly about the journey of Campus Beats, Shantanu admitted that while nobody anticipated the scale of the show's popularity, the team always had faith in the project. "Nobody thought about it, but we all believed in it. Believed in the show that we are doing something different," he shared. According to the actor, the uniqueness of the series was not just for the audience but also for the cast and crew involved in making it.
He explained that the team knew they were attempting something fresh in a market where such youth-oriented fiction shows had almost disappeared. "It's different not just in terms of the public, but for us individuals ourselves, that we are getting a chance. It's not like the other offers in the market," he said.
The actor further credited both the audience and the team's collective faith for helping the series grow season after season. "We can write, we can do it, but it's the appreciation, it's the audience that the show needs to garner. And the best part is the entire team believed in that. The audience showed so much love that we have reached season 6," he added.
Shantanu also opened up about his initial hesitation toward taking up another dance-focused role after already starring in a massively successful dance-based show earlier in his career. "To do another one, you need to offer me something which I have not done, which is something very different because I have covered most of the aspects that are there in a dancer's life," he explained.
The actor also expressed concern over the lack of light-hearted youth fiction in Indian entertainment today. According to him, most creators have shifted towards darker and mature themes, leaving teenage audiences underserved. "We had Star One, Channel V, MTV⦠they have stopped making fiction shows. So the audience has started shifting towards K-dramas. Why are we not making it? We need a breezy show," Shantanu said.
One of the biggest reasons he agreed to join Campus Beats was the opportunity to portray a character unlike any he had played before. He also highlighted his trust in the makers and his love for ensemble storytelling. "The fun in an ensemble show is not in any other show if you make it properly," he shared.
Shantanu further emphasised that he has never been insecure about sharing screen space with other actors. "We will work together, we will grow together, we will get perks of it equally," he concluded, underlining the collaborative spirit that has helped Campus Beats resonate strongly with viewers over the years.
