Rajeev's kissing issue!

Rajeev Khandelwal was quite a nervous man when it came to shooting for his first on-screen smooch

Stealing your first kiss, be it in real life or on the reel, is never easy. Rajeev Khandelwal apparently had a really tough time shooting for his first-ever smooching sequence opposite Tena Desae in an upcoming film.

A source says, The two were required to shoot for this sequence in the middle of the road in Fiji. Director Aditya Dutt wanted to set the scene amidst a regular surrounding, in order to capture their natural reaction.

Since the road was pretty crowded, Rajeev and Tena became very nervous, so much so that their anxiety was quite palpable.

However, the source adds that the kind of emotions their faces were emoting was exactly what the director needed for his film. I wanted to shoot their kiss from several angles and both Rajeev and Tena had to repeat it again and again for the cameras,  says Dutt.

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A Kick Hurts More; Lekin Kiss Karo, Toh Problem Hoti Hai: Rajeev

Actor Rajeev Khandelwal says he has no trouble sustaining his lifestyle

On paper, Rajeev Khandelwal has all the qualifications for a head-start in Bollywood - he has undeniable talent, good looks, readymade popularity courtesy TV and a good launch pad in the film Aamir. But Rajeev is still waiting for payday. The actor, however, is confident of his strategy and wants to concentrate on worthwhile films like his forthcoming thriller Table No 21.

People still associate you with Sujal from your TV show Kahiin To Hoga.
People associate me with other characters I have played too and I am proud of it. When I travel, people tell me, 'You are my Rajeev Singh Shekhawat from Left Right Left. 

Some people remember me from my film Aamir, others from Soundtrack. If people remember you for different stuff, great; if they forget, well, I will be one of the million actors who have been forgotten.

After doing films, you went back to doing TV as the host of Sach Ka Saamna.
I never go back to anything. After I did Aamir, TV came ahead and met me. Everyone is dying to do television because they have discovered its strength. Unfortunately, the press has made the small screen look like Bollywood's poor cousin.

TV is at par with, if not better than, movies. I don't think any film actor can do a daily soap, they can't it pull off. I am happy being an actor; the medium doesn't matter to me.
Table No 21 will be your fifth release in five years. Is doing only a few films a choice?
Unfortunately, I have to be choosy because I don't have options. I would have done one film a month, but of the 10 scripts that I read, eight don't excite me. As for the other two, the director does not excite me or the producer is a businessman who just wants to make a film. I would rather wait for good films. I can sustain my lifestyle... I don't want too many houses in Mumbai.

Did you make a list of dos and don'ts after marriage?
My first intimate scene was after marriage in Soundtrack. My wife Manjiri is very chilled out; she believes I am sensible. She takes a lot of pride in being Manjiri - not Rajeev's wife.
You have an intimate scene with Tena Desae in Table No 21.
Yes. In fact, Tena Desae is a friend. Manjiri is really fond of her, so there are no issues. Strangely, people don't ask me how my wife reacts when I kick people onscreen in fight sequences. A kick hurts more; lekin kiss karo, toh problem hoti hai!

After two years of marriage, are there any plans of starting a family?
No (laughs). We need to live our life to the fullest before we get into the next phase. We haven't had enough of each other yet!

You are working with director Aditya Dutt for the second time in Table No 21. How different was this experience from your previous collaboration with him in Will You Marry Me?
That film was released after a year; and once a film becomes stale, you can't really expect the audience to see it. But Aditya knows his job, he has taken the script to another level. He has risen way above my expectations. Pareshji (Rawal, his co-star in the film) was pleasantly surprised with Aditya's work.
Aamir director Rajkumar Gupta didn't cast you in No One Killed Jessica, nor in his forthcoming Ghanchakker...
Rajkumar and I love each other. I will always attribute the success of Aamir to him because it was his execution and vision. The day before Aamir released, we made a pact that we will not work together for the next four films and that we will collaborate only when a script excites us both. He is one of my closest friends; and a regular at my personal parties.

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I don't need paid audiences: Rajeev Khandelwal

Actor Rajeev Khandelwal says he does not need paid audiences as he has enough people who like him anyway.

"I am very fortunate that I don't feel the need for a paid audience, they still like me. Every time I get a good reception and welcomed wherever I go and I hope that this continues progressively day and night. So I am very happy," the 37-year-old said here Wednesday while promoting his film "Table No. 21" at Mithibai College.

Rajeev was accompanied by Tena Desae, his co-star in the film.

He says there is a special reason why they chose to do a promotional event at a college.

"Our purpose of coming to the college is not just the film's promotion. After watching the film, you will come to know that it is very important for college-goers to watch this film," Rajeev said. "Our purpose of coming here is not just to promote the film, but college plays a very important role in our film as well," he added. "Table No. 21" also features Paresh Rawal and hits theatres Jan 4 next year.

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I'm not overtly ambitious: Rajeev Khandelwal

'Table No. 21' actor talks about shying away from the limelight and having fans among small town folks

Telly actors moving to the big screen is not new in the industry. However, Rajeev Khandelwal managed to carve a space for himself in Bollywood right with his debut film Aamir. After a gap of more than a year, he'll be seen next in an action thriller. In a tete-a-tete, the Jaipur -born actor talks about career, co-stars and cinema. 

Don't you fear being stereotyped as a serious actor?
Not really. I'm just doing a different kind of cinema. It's funny how those who told me that I wouldn't be able to break the romantic image I created on TV are now saying that I'm doing serious roles (smiles). Talking of films, I'm still waiting for a classical romance to come my way. Until that happens, I'm going to continue with movies that excite my sensibilities. 
What kind of roles are you looking forward to?
I don't know what kind of roles I want but I do know what kind of roles I don't want to do. I could be stupid in my choice but I don't have a dream role either. 

If at all, my dream role has to be something that I haven't dreamt of yet something that piques my interest and makes me sit up while reading the script. I stopped dreaming after Aamir because I learned that the best films are the ones from which you expect the least. 

Your last film Soundtrack happened back in 2011. Isn't that too long a gap?
Whatever good I've done in my career, I don't want to wipe that off with some bad decisions taken in panic. Besides I have plenty of time and I'm not insecure. I'm patient enough to stay away from the limelight. I'm not overtly ambitious either and I don't see myself in a race against time or fellow actors. 

Talking of co-stars, how was it working with Paresh Rawal?
Pareshji has been very kind to me. He was the first senior actor to applaud me for my performance in Aamir. From being a fan to working with him has been nothing short of a wish come true. 
Will you go back to television?
As of now I don't have any plan in place but if something interesting happens, I'll surely go ahead. After all, didn't I go back to Sach Ka Saamna right after my debut film? I owe it to the small town folks who still write to me saying that they'd love to see me in TV shows. Having said that, I'm here to stay. 

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Table No. 21 launches groovy item song

After an unprecedented response on the edgy trailer, the Eros International and Next Gen Film's thriller Table No. 21 gets grooving in their newly released title track, 'If You Lie, You Die'. The song has Paresh Rawal, Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae dancing to the upbeat song.

The lyrics of the song are very catchy as the tagline of this high concept thriller, 'If You Lie, You Die' is the theme of the song. Paresh Rawal, Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae will be seen dancing to the choreography of Remo D'Souza.

The item song is a visual treat as the audiences will get to see Paresh Rawal dancing in his villainous avatar. Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae make a great couple as they dance to the foot tapping number.

Directed by Aditya Datt, Table No. 21 is a twisted tale about a couple out on a lavish holiday and how they end up on the Table No. 21 sitting across a mysterious man. Find out what happens further when the mystery unfolds on the 4th of Jan, 2013!!

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Rajeev's truth and lie moment in Table No. 21

Actor Rajeev Khandelwal, who hosted the popular "Sach Ka Saamna" show, will now be seen playing a similar truth-and-lie game in the forthcoming film "Table No. 21". He admits he got a taste of his own medicine.

"It was tough to sit on the seat. When I used to host that show, I always used to say that it is not easy to sit on that chair.

It was my first-hand experience to sit on the chair and hats off to those who came on my show and sat in front of me and faced those questions," the 37-year-old said here Thursday at the first look launch of the film.

The small screen's heartthrob, thanks to his popular show "Kahiin Toh Hoga", has mostly done off-beat films like "Aamir", "Shaitaan" and "Soundtrack".

"Table No. 21" also stars Paresh Rawal and Tena Desae and is slated for a Jan 4 release next year.

Only scripts with a soul and sensibility inspire him and good scripts make an actor's job much easier, he said.

"'Aamir' was a wonderful script, so is this. So I like great scripts. I like scripts which have a soul, some kind of sensibility.

An actor's work becomes a lot easier if the script is good, you are not lost in the film...I also attempted 'Will You Marry Me', it didn't work," Rajeev said.

"But I think it's more of the script. As Pareshji said, you'll understand what the film is about after you see it. I am sure once you walk out of the cinema hall, you'll say it was a good script and film," he added.

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