I put my heart and soul in whatever I do: Sumeet Sachdev

There is nothing as exciting as a comeback! Yet there are just some passionate individuals who grab that opportunity to live their dream over and over again. The very intuitive and passionate Sumeet Sachdev most fondly remembered as Gomzi in Kyunki Saas… recently made an exceptional comeback with Bindaas’ Yeh Hai Aashiqui. In conversation with Tellychakkar.com, the dashing actor speaks about his journey, comeback and future ventures. “I cannot really call myself an introvert or a complete extrovert. That doesn’t even mean that I am moody. It is just that I prefer not being in situations which make me uncomfortable. I am not really a people’s person”, says a soft spoken Sumeet. Taking us down a memory lane he opened up about his journey into acting and his Kyunki Saas… experience. “I am an architect. I was always an avid singer and wanted to do an English musical. I was part of Barry John’s Theatre group and Aamir Reza Hussain's tribute to Kargil war heroes, The Fifty Days War which was critically acclaimed. When I came to Mumbai, I was all set to go back to my monotonous routine once the play was over. But I had this change of mind and I started looking at the possibility of transforming it from a mere hobby to a full-fledged profession. I auditioned for Ekta’s show and she thought the role of Gomzi would suit me better. So that is how my journey into acting started.” “Kyunki will always be very special to me for the rest of my life. It made me a household name. As an actor I never really kept a count of how many times I appeared on-screen because that is what the script demanded. And Kyunki for that sake had a cast of around 40 odd people. And everybody around me was happy and so was I. Gomzy’s character had shades of grey which kept unfolding as the show changed its course and it came a long way.” Then why the sabbatical from acting, Sumeet? “The sabbatical from acting was not intentional. It all depended on how few things panned out. There was nothing against acting. I was too engrossed in my filmmaking venture and also got back to architecture. It was difficult shuttling between TV and work.” Finally back to something you love. Isn’t it a great feeling? “It is an extremely great feeling to be back after so long. Yeh Hai Aashiqui approached me in the past for a story but I couldn’t go ahead with it. But when they took me through a run-through of the story of Aseem and Rhea, I jumped into it. The show has a very different concept as compared to our daily soaps. It is fresh and organized and it was great fun shooting for it.” Well the down to earth actor also directed the acclaimed short film Rehman Saheb Ko phone karna hai. “Rehman Saheb Ko phone karna hai is my first directorial venture and it was critically acclaimed in India and got selected for many of the film festivals and won a number of awards. We tried a mock shoot with a handy cam and travelled around Delhi for the shoot. I personally upgraded the lights, sound etc. I am emotionally attached to the film”, says a delighted Sumeet. They say Jack of all trades is a master of none. The actor firmly believes it. “When I am doing either acting or directing, I make sure I am committed to just one of it and I completely forget about the other. I put my heart and soul in whatever I do. And frankly I believe I am a little weak at multi-tasking too. So whether it is acting or directing I love both.” Will we see more of Actor-Sumeet or Director-Sumeet? “I am back to acting and want to concentrate on it. I am looking forward to some challenging roles. No directorial ventures as such. However, I had started writing my short film Rehman Saheb ko phone karna hai as a feature but have stopped it midway. I have some offers and talks are still on. But nothing has been finalized.” Talking about stardom, popularity and fans, the actor excerpts, “I really don’t know what you call it - stardom or popularity. But I always tried my level best to stay away from it. Even after staying away from TV for the past 7 years, people still approach me. In the first week after the Yeh Hai Aashiqui episode was telecasted, my Facebook profile was overflowing with friend requests and messages. I have used more of Facebook last week than I have ever in the last five years (laughs).” Well any comeback needs true believers. “I don’t like to use the word ‘fans’ because I don’t want to place myself above everyone. They are my ardent viewers and I respect them. I am indebted. This might sound like what every actor says, the difference being that I just mean it. It has been refreshing to be back on TV. And your reaction has just validated my belief that you do want to see my acting,” says an ecstatic Sumeet. Nicely summed up, Sumeet!!