Punit J Pathak on web debut: Careful of roles I play as kids watch me

Punit J Pathak in Love, Scandal and Doctors

He is something of a jack of all trades ­ - discovered on the reality show Dance India Dance, Punit J Pathak soon carved his own niche in showbiz as a budding choreographer. The dancer followed it up with stints on the big screen, courtesy the ABCD franchise and Nawabzaade (2018). Now, bitten by the acting bug, Pathak is making his web debut with ALTBalaji's Love, Scandal and Doctors (LSD). In a chat with mid-day, he talks about steadily inching towards his dream of turning director some day.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

While you are a prolific dancer and choreographer, what made you take up acting?
People who follow my work have always maintained that I can be a fabulous actor and should try my hand at it. Being camera-shy, I found it difficult to give auditions and do look tests. Also, I felt every other person wants to become an actor. So, I would often tell myself, why should I join the rat race when I have a [thriving] career as a judge and choreographer? Eventually, I want to become a director. Hopefully, that should work out next year.

How did Love, Scandal and Doctors come your way?
I received two offers from ALTBalaji during the lockdown. I got selected for one of the roles after I auditioned for it from home. A few days later, they offered me another role, of a cop in LSD. Over a conference call, the makers convinced me that I was better suited for this part. While both roles were dramatically different, I was not sure how the former would pan out on screen. It was bold for my taste. Considering I have a huge fan following among children and am looked up to as a role model, I wasn't keen on taking up a role that would confuse them. I thought it would be fun to play a cop, so I went ahead with LSD.

Do you consciously stay away from playing bold characters?
The real me and the artiste in me are in constant conflict over the idea. Since I am a dance show judge and have people following me, I consciously ensure that I don't portray anything wrong. They say with great power, comes great responsibility. I have to be careful of what I say or portray because kids watch me.

Now that you are bitten by the acting bug, what is your dream role?
I love Rockstar [2011]; the direction, acting, costume, music - everything was fabulous.

Was it stressful to shoot during the pandemic?
The number of tests one has to undergo, and the continuous sanitisation can get taxing. Even the number of times you had to take a bath in a day was draining. If someone so much as sneezed, everyone would have to undergo a test immediately. It felt restrictive initially. From drinking kadhas to exercising regularly - I did everything to keep my immunity in check when shooting as I live with my parents and brother's family [and didn't want to risk their health].

Does being a dancer make acting easier?
Definitely, because with every song, we play a character. I remember filming an interrogation sequence for LSD, which was being shot by a 360-degree camera. My dancing skills came in handy for the scene.