As Devon Ke Dev Mahadev returns to the tube as part of the lockdown line-up, Mohit Raina discusses how his reclusive nature is at odds with showbiz
Mohit Raina
Five years after it was first telecast, Devon Ke Dev—Mahadev is returning to television as part of the lockdown line-up. The mythological series made Mohit Raina, who played the titular role, an overnight sensation. His popularity can be gauged from the fact that Priyanka Chopra's aunt had stated then that Mahadev would be the ideal partner for her niece.
Even as he has graduated to movies and web outings, Raina considers the television show the turning point of his career. "It got me noticed. I am thankful for the immense love I still receive from fans," he says. While most actors would be flattered to have fans and paparazzi following their every move, in Raina's book, that may not be necessarily a good thing. Known to guard his privacy, the reticent actor prefers to stay away from the public glare. "That's my nature. I prefer not to be socially visible. I want to lead a normal life as far as possible. One can only talk about something when s/he has a project that is up for release, otherwise there is not much to say." As an afterthought, he takes a good-humoured dig at his co-star as he quips, "I should be more out there and try to beat Jacqueline Fernandez who has over 40 million followers on Instagram."
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The actor recently shared screen space with her in the Netflix film, Mrs Serial Killer. He recounts that when Mahadev was at its peak, producer Farah Khan had got her kids, Anya, Diva and Czar, to meet him as they loved the show. "Later, I connected with her at Punit Malhotra's birthday party. She invited me home for tea, and offered me the role of the cop."
Raina, whose recent digital outings include Bhaukaal and Kaafir, is keen to balance Bollywood with the web world. He has wrapped up Kunal Deshmukh's Shiddat: Journey Beyond Love. "It was slated to release in September, but with the turn of events, I don't know how things will play out."
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