Re-run marathon amid lockdown: Krishna coming back on TV was a natural progression, says Swwapnil Joshi

Swwapnil Joshi’s life changed when he was just a nine-year-old boy and got the opportunity to play the role of Kush in Ramanand Sagar’s Uttar Ramayan. Now, as the mythological drama just wrapped up after a successful re-run on TV, the actor is feeling “the same kind of excitement”.

Joshi says, “I remember how the entire nation would come to a halt to watch Ramayan. Now, 33 years later, while the situation is different, it feels good to see that the nation has again come together. They’re enjoying those pure emotions portrayed on screen. These cult shows go beyond entertainment.” 

Elaborating on how he got the show, the 42-year-old actor reveals, “As a kid, while playing with friends, we would sometimes enact characters. One of Ramayan’s cast members saw me playing, clicked a few photos and showed them to Papaji – that’s how we all addressed Ramanand (Sagar, director) ji. I was called for auditions and shortlisted.”

Joshi reveals his journey with the show changed him as a person, too. “There would be days when Mayuresh (who played the role of Luv) and I would not feel like shooting and we would be given the day off. There was no pressure, unlike today,” the actor adds.

Joshi’s popular 1990s show Krishna, in which he played the titular role in episodes depicting the teenage years of Lord Krishna, has also made a comeback on the small screen. “My gut feeling was that it’s a natural progression. Now that it’s happening, I am really looking forward to the audience’s response,” he says.

The actor also believes that the soaring TRPs of such shows during the re-run is a testimony to the popularity of these series, which mirror Indian culture.

“Such timeless shows can never lose significance. Baaki drink achhe lag sakte hai par pyaas paani se hi bujhti hai. Yeh waise shows hain jo aap kabhi bhi dekho achhe lagenge,” he adds.

In the lockdown, the actor is spending time at home with his parents, wife and children. And as he watches Ramayan at home, Joshi says, “I’m reliving my childhood with my children (daughter Myra and son Raghav) and family.”