'Kaafir' actor Mohit Raina reveals why he didn’t do romantic shows on TV

Mohit Raina, who became a TV heart-throb with his chiselled physique after his outing as Shiva in the television serial Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, made his big-screen debut earlier this year with Uri: The Surgical Strike. Now, the good-looking actor is set to foray onto the digital platform with ZEE5’s web series Kaafir, which is inspired by the true story of a Pakistani woman who crosses over to India with her little daughter, and gets imprisoned. Mohit plays a journalist who helps bring them justice. Here, he tells us about his digital debut, and why it took time to make the transition from TV to films...

Has life changed after Uri: The Surgical Strike?

Yes, I guess so. Filmmakers are looking at me differently. They approach me with various kinds of scripts, which they feel I will be able to do.

Why did it take so long for you to make the transition from TV to films?

That’s because on TV you have a lot of exposure on a regular basis. You need to disconnect and reconnect with the market because they are different platforms. TV’s demands are different from those of films. It took me some time to understand and relate to these demands and slowly, steadily make them (filmmakers) believe that I could portray some nice and different characters.

Now you are making your digital debut with Kaafir, which again has you portraying an intense character.

I had heard the story of Kaafir a while back and it was nothing close to the other subject (Uri). When Siddharth (P Malhotra, producer) approached me and narrated the script, I was looking forward to doing it because it would let me showcase different emotions. This is a story which was waiting to be told for more than 10 years. Bhavani Iyer, who is the writer, has been working on it for 13 years. I feel fortunate to be a part of it. This is more about human emotions and drama. I was sold in the first minute as to how could a person be so selfless and giving. He gave precious time and invested years of his life to bring a smile and happiness to somebody else who was a stranger.

You play a journalist in the series? Did you take any inspiration?

The profession is just the backdrop — he is a journalist and then he turns out to be a lawyer. What was important was the human journey and emotions.

Is shooting for a web series different from films and TV?

It’s absolutely different. Kaafir is an eight-episode series; but while shooting, you really don’t know which part is for which episode. You have to constantly be in sync with emotions. It’s not a start-to-finish schedule like a film where you shoot and join the dots. You have to be particular about your emotions and need to know the entire script.

How was the experience of shooting in Himachal?

It was good because we were shooting outdoors and we got a lot of time to devote to our work. Plus, we got to work in a natural environment. We used to shoot in a small town called Kalpa, which has a limited population. So, the locals were really helpful — we used to get home-cooked food. Conditions were tough, but they were workable.   

You are doing a romantic film Shiddat next..

Yes, I am looking forward to it. I will start shooting for it soon.

You have a great female fan following, but we didn’t see you doing any romantic show on TV. Why?

Because I got addicted to power on the small screen (he played Shiva in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, Ashoka in Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and Havildar Ishar Singh in Battle of Saragarhi) and enjoyed it too much. But now, it’s time to explore those options.

Are you taking a break from the small screen?

As of now, I am exploring different avenues. If something great comes my way, I will see.