Ankit Raaj speaks about his character Kaalia on Sony SAB’s Dharm Yoddha Garud

•    How does it feel to be associated with Sony SAB?
•    I’ve always been a fan of Sony SAB and it’s shows. All the shows are light-hearted and incite a positive feeling. My mother follows it and she's been watching all the shows for a long time, so I would love that my mother watches me now and I would love to be associated with the channel, for such a unique show.

•    Mythology as a concept continues to be prevalent in Indian TV space, how is Garud different?
•    We’ve all heard stories about Lord Rama, Ganesh ji, Sai Baba, Hanuman, but we have very little idea about the character and historic significance of Garud. So, this is a unique and a differentiated offering for us as actors, as well as for the audience. With a fine blend of mythology, Garud is beautifully interspersed with drama and action – a complete family show.

•    Tell us something about your character. What do you like most about getting to play your character?
•    I am playing the role of Kaalia, we all are naag/snake brothers. Kaalia is powerful, wants to do things his way and doesn't want to listen to anybody- be it his mom or his brothers. He is very aggressive and very short tempered. Despite being a negative character, I like the intensity of the character, it has a lot of scope for me as an artist to expand my horizon and tap on to something I’ve never done before. So, I’m looking forward to playing this character and explore more as an artist through the course of the show.

•    What kind of preparations did you go through to study and understand the character?
•    I read a lot of stories and researched quite a bit to understand the story of Garud, the characters who have been a central part of his life and the dynamics of the relationship between Garud and Kaalia. A lot of research and reading went into this to gear ourselves up for the show. For my preparation for Kaalia, I practiced and incorporated versions of evil laughter. The character is always restless about doing something, like wanting to hit someone or create menace in someone’s life, so I try to imagine what his reaction would be if you suddenly try to stop him. He will always have these little nuances, and you will notice a lot of fidgetiness to this character, which I’ve incorporated for Kaalia.

•    What makes your character stand out?
•    The craziness he has, he's so unpredictable. People would love to watch the unpredictability of this character. Everybody has a subtleness to this, but Kaalia doesn't have any subtlety. He is beyond horizons and can just think and do whatever he feels, he won't listen to anybody. So, I guess that will be very interesting for people to watch.

•    How do you feel taking up mythology as a genre, first time/returning to it? What intrigued you towards the show?
•    I'll be very honest, I saw the promo and the teaser of the show and, I wanted to be a part of this show, so I was in talking terms with them since August. I knew that  now is the chance, I have never explored mythology in my life, this is my 7th or 8th show I have always done that lover boy or spoil brat or something. But this was something different and I wanted to explore myself in this genre because I knew my Hindi and Sanskrit will get better.

•    How excited are you to work with the cast on the show?
•    The entire cast of Garud is extremely phenomenal, they are all seasoned actors and have stepped into the shoes of their characters brilliantly. We have a lot of fun on the sets, and each day has been a great learning experience too. We are all shooting in a completely different type of set considering that the show is heavy on VFX, so witnessing everybody’s journey of adapting to this has also been very gratifying as an actor, because you get to see the acting techniques of so many wonderful actors.

•    How has the entire shooting experience been like?
•    It is hectic but equally fulfilling. Every day, we’re shooting with heavy costumes and accessories, but it's fun and different from what we usually do so that makes it memorable for us as a team.

•    What is one thing that the audience should look forward with the show?
•    Dharam Yoddha Garud will be about unravelling a lot of untold aspects and incidences, coupled with action, drama which our audiences will love. The brilliant work done by the team on the VFX will add to a complete visual extravaganza.

•    Any message for your fans/audience?
•    I’m exploring something very different this time, away from the roles of a rich spoilt brat or a lover boy, and I’m certain that my fans will love me in this avatar. The show promises to be grand in every aspect and will keep you glued to your television screens. I would request the viewers to pour in all their love for Dharam Yoddha Garud and watch out for an epic saga.