Kiran (Vishal) loves icecream and chocs!

"I splurge on ice-creams and chocolates"

A personality in his own right, this son of the famous villain of his time Jivan, Kiran Kumar is a man of courage and bag full of confidence. He has made a mark for himself in villainous roles, and now he has reinvented himself by playing pivotal roles in Star Plus' Miilee and Zee's Rabba Ishq Na Hove. Veteran actor Kiran Kumar spoke to Misha Malhotra from Telly Chakkar at Indiantelevision.com about his life and work.

You seem to share a very good rapport with Vinita Nanda...
Well we have been working together. Before Miilee we had earlier worked on with her in Aur Phir Ek Din. She's a young director, producer and a writer. She has the ability and the capacity to grow. .

Viewers will soon see you in Rabba Ishq Na Hove on Zee. Tell us a little bit about your role?
The role is somewhat similar to what I play in Miilee. And this is just like paying debt to Aroona Irani for her kindness in the past. She helped me develop myself in the Gujrati mainstream cinema.

Why has there been a shift from films to serials?
I wouldn't say it's a shift. I am doing both simultaneously. When I am not shooting for a serial then I am abroad doing a film.

How has the content of television changed over the past so many years?
We have developed a lot from Hum Log to Miilee. There is so much of growth which is very gradual. Now we have the interactive shows, game shows the content has really changed from what it was to what it is now.

What's your take on the spurt of saas-bahu serials?
Though the genre is no different, people keep saying that the soaps are dragging, still they get glued to their television sets and do watch them. These have sustained and have become a part of every household.

You have worked with both generations. How does it feel to work with fresh faces?
It feels wonderful to open up new avenues. And growth is never ending for us as stars. I really enjoy working with new people.

The younger generation seems to have no qualms about doing elderly roles, what is your take on this trend?
Why not? They should experiment. I would just like to tell them that just having a shade of grey in your hair doesn't mean that you justify the role. They should also feel the character.

And would you like to be part of the saas-bahu soaps?
Yes I would love to be part of it. As far as the role is good, I don't mind being a part of it.

When you are not shooting then what do you do?
To be very honest I shoot 30 days in a month. When I am free then I involve myself into a lot of spirituality. I firmly believe that all creations of god are same and one should have love for them. I also read a lot. When I get some free time I splurge on chocolates and ice creams.