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From hero to villain to out-of-work film actor to TV star, Mohnish Behl has had a long chequered journey in showbiz. But in his twilight years, life is taking a new turn yet again — as the protagonist of an Indian romance, based on super-successful Pakistani soap Dhoop Kinare.
His cinematic career has been patchy — he couldn’t ape his mother and legendary actress Nutan’s success story on the silver screen. But Mohnish, 48, made it big on television, and gives credit to TV audiences for accepting his brooding and reclusive image. "From a flop to no work in the industry to a negative, then a positive image and now in my twilight years, a romance...I am confused whether I am going the right way or not!" jokes Mohnish during an interview. "Honestly, I feel as an actor I have got a better response on TV. Having said that, I have limited my work on the small screen. I am very selective about what I do," says Mohnish, who is playing the lead in Sony’s hospital romance Kuch Toh Log Kahenge (KTLK), which starts on Monday. So what will he offer now as a romantic lead in KTLK, based on hit Pakistani serial Dhoop Kinare? Says Mohnish: "For a middle-aged man to realise that he is in love with a girl half his age is catastrophic. When he finally realises it is true, come the insecurities whether he will be able to match up to the expectations of the girl. "When he sees her with a younger man, he questions his own capability as a man because he is now pitted against a younger man. On top of that he is a closed person and has to deal with his own emotional shackles." In his almost three decades in the industry, Mohnish has managed to survive despite many ups and downs. Being Nutan’s son became an added responsibility. His first break came with Bekaraar in 1983 and then followed a series of flops and then came the darkest phase of his life when he had no work. "Horrible. For those two and a half years there was no work, I used to keep my mother up all night. She used to tell me that ‘you will find success because you are a good actor’ " recollects Mohnish. "That was a difficult time for me, emotionally and psychologically. I had lost all confidence in myself," he adds. The ray of hope came in the form of the 1989 hit movie Maine Pyaar Kiya and Baaghi (1990) and in both the films he played grey characters. Later with Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Hum Saath-Saath Hain, he showed the positive side by playing a family man. In 2004, he turned to television with the hit hospital drama Sanjivini and luckily audiences loved his performance. Then he featured in Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii and his role fetched him accolades and helped him in winning a decent fan following. Overall, his television journey has been quite fruitful. Mohnish has acted in various shows like Devi, Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, Dill Mill Gayye, Kayamath and Kasturi. — IANS
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