The ability to completely transform into a character is a coveted skill for an actor. And Sushant Singh Rajput did it effortlessly in Pavitra Rishta. The show made him a household name when he essayed the role of Manav in 2009. Understandably, when the second season of the iconic serial was offered to Shaheer Sheikh, he was aware that he had large shoes to fill.
And now that Shaheer has started shooting for the show, he took to Instagram and opened up about his feelings on being approached for the reboot. Sharing pictures with co-star Ankita Lokhande and his on-screen mother, Usha Nadkarni, he wrote, “When I was first approached for PR2 (Pavitra Rishta 2.0), I was taken aback. Who in their right frame of mind would dare to play a character immortalised by Sushant Singh Rajput..I too was reluctant. Then I thought, knowing Sushant he was one to take every challenge head-on. And so I decided that while it is scary to step into his shoes & live up to audience expectations… it is scarier to NOT even try.” He added that he did what he felt the late actor would have done if he was in Shaheer’s position.
He further wrote, “When the team told me they wanted someone who was earnest so that we could all tell a story that was a fitting homage to Sushant’s legacy… I decided to give it my all and leave the rest to the audiences and to The All-Mighty.” Shaheer further added that working with a team that loved and respected Sushant has been great experience. He said, “Sushant, you will always be Manav. Nothing can change that & no one can replace that. I may not be as good, and I may not do justice to it like you did, but I promise to give it my ALL. #pavitrarishta2.”
If you’re eagerly waiting to watch the show then we’re happy to tell you that the shoot for the serial started this Sunday. And the new season will stream on ALTBalaji soonish!
We gotta say that we totes understand Shaheer and also know that he’d do complete justice to Sushant’s legacy. We’re looking forward to watching Shaheer and Ankita work their magic on screen.
Featured Image: Instagram
