Rakesh Bedi is one of the most known actors of Indian TV industry. And currently he is seen playing the character of Brij Mohan Saxena in UTV’s Shubh Vivah. Incidentally, this is the first time that he is seen in a serious role. Prior to this, he has been appreciated for his comic timing in shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Shrimaan Shrimati, Hum Sab Ek Hain and Yes Boss. He was last seen onscreen in SAB TV’s Ring Wrong Ring. “I have always been seen in a comic role on TV. So no one took me seriously for serious roles,” laughs Rakesh on why he was not cast in a serious role before this. “So when Shubh Vivah was offered to me, I bagged the opportunity,” he adds. The veteran actor plays father to five daughters in this series and in real life, he has two daughters. So does he feel connected to his onscreen avatar? “Oh yes, I am very much like my character.” In fact, all the five actresses who play his daughter in this daily do not call him by his name. “They all call me Papa. So with that I become father of seven daughters in all,” he jokes. He was recently in news for his play Massage; he plays 24 characters in this two-hour-long monologue. “It was quite difficult for me to prepare for this play. Firstly, the play was originally written in Marathi (by award winning playwright Vijay Tendulkar). So the job was not only to translate it to Hindi but also adapt it, accordingly.” And doing all this took a lot of time even for a veteran like Rakesh. “It took me nine months to rehearse and prepare for the play,” he adds. As a theatre actor, he tells us, his main aim is to keep the audiences hooked on to the show. “Whenever I perform, I want the spectators to be so indulged in the act, that they do not look into their watches to check the time. But if they do that, it means they are bored,” says the dedicated performer. Rakesh, with an artist like you performing in front of them, the audiences would surely be having a gala time.