Jay Zaveri on his 'Appnapan' character: I did not like Shanky at first!

Mumbai, Aug 7

Jay Zaveri says that it took him sometime to get used to his character Shanky in the show 'Appnapan Badalate Rishton Ka Bandhan'. The actor says that the role is very different from what he has played before.

"Shanky is basically a friend, philosopher, guide, and business partner to Nikhil Jaisingh, who is a famous chef," Jay said.

"The relationship which I shared with Nick (Cezanne Khan) is amazing, on and off screen. The character is so different from the other characters which I have played on screen. My director keeps telling me to 'bring in the shankiness to my performance'."

'Shankiness', Jay explained, means that a person can say anything, anytime without paying much heed to the situation." Jay is a tried and tested hand, having been a part of shows such as 'Meri Hanikark Biwi', 'Vighnaharta Ganesha', 'Ishq Main Marjawan' Season 2 and 'Janani'.

He noted: "This character has taught me so much. I was a little skeptical in the beginning when I was doing this character. I did not like Shanky's character, his personality. I am generally a quiet person, I can't come up with jokes and I need my own time. I speak politely, respectfully."

"I had a real difficulty playing this character. This is different from the other characters I have done before. This is more in the comic zone. The entire series is a family drama and Shanky is supposed to bring in a comical angle to this."

When asked about the kind of roles he would like to play in the future, he said: "As an actor, I always have to be greedy. I have done characters in shows such as 'Ishq Mein Marjawan', where I played a kind of grey character. Now I am doing a comic character. People tell me that I can pull off a negative character well and I am looking forward to playing more of those in the future."

Jay said he has learnt a lot from his journey in showbiz. "I was part of 'Mere Sai' where I played the role of Das Ganu Maharaj and that character taught me so much," he said.

Giving an example, he said: "Usually, I am a little short-tempered person. After playing Das Guru Maharaj, I realised that I have to stay calm and composed and think before I say anything. The characters which I have played have changed some part in me as well."

Jay continued: "If I talk about my other characters, I played Bhojraj in 'Vighnaharta Ganesha'. The character is powerful like a king but yet was so devoted to Meera and Krishna. He always talks to everyone in a polite way."

He signed off by saying: "After playing these many positive characters, somewhere knowingly or unknowingly, they became a part of me. I also made sure to speak politely and respectfully with each and everyone. Just like my dad always used to tell me, when you give respect to someone, you will get it back."