"I have been asked to leave"

He's the man who cried wolf. Rajeev Khandelwal, better known as Sujal who mock threatened to walk out of Kahiin To Hoga, is once again in the media spotlight, this time to say that it's all over for him. But this time, he says, he has been asked to leave. And he makes no bones about it.

In an exclusive interview with Vickey Lalwani, Khandelwal cries his heart out. Here are the excerpts:

Is it for real this time?

Yes.

And why?

To tell you the truth, I have been asked to leave.

Reason?

I need logic that will explain what I am doing in the serial and why I am doing so. There is no logic being offered. I can't work like a robot. I am an actor who works by conviction. My character has clicked because I have kept myself very close to Sujal.

So?

Time and again, I have differed with the scenes which have been written for me. I just don't seem to agree with most of the things handed out to me.

But you can sit across the table and thrash out these issues?

It's not happening. I tried my best. When I came back last time, I thought things would change. I gave it another try. But almost every time, I was told to toe the line. I asked them to throw me out. Finally they said, "No more of your questions." 15 May is my last date of shooting.

It's said that you are insecure. You are ruffled by the footage given to Akshat, Swayam and Rishi…

Rishi and Akshat were there earlier too. There has never been any problem between us. We play squash, badminton and even hang out together at times.

It's also said that you don't give dates to 'KTH'?

Ever since I signed Ketan Mehta's serial, Balaji and I had an understanding that I will give 12 days each to both shows. I have not gone back on that.

Going back to your complaint. Do you think it's easy to explain the logic of every scene to every actor? I mean, you know the hectic pace at which Indian television functions?

Then please tell me why six creatives (creative directors) have been appointed. Just to get fat salaries? (pauses).

Go on...

Listen to this one. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. There was a scene where I will barge in from Tokyo and slap Kashish. Reason? Because I feel that my mother has suffered an accident since she told her about my father's first marriage with Akshat's mother. But do you know how I get to know it? When I land up in the hospital and hear my dad talking to his himself that 'kaash Kashish ne Veena ko nahin bataya hota'. How can somebody hear what the other person is saying in his mind? (pauses).

Uh huh?

There's another scene where they said that the first thing I would do after coming back from Tokyo is call up my father. I cannot digest that. In the serial, I have virtually no equation with my dad. I objected. The Creatives were called. Finally, they understood my perspective. Now, my dad will call me up as soon as I land in India. But do you know that the journey from Tokyo to Mumbai is shown to be done in just one hour?

But does your dad know that you are coming back from Tokyo, that he calls you up?

No, he does not. Don't question me on logics any further.

What if your good friend Aamna requests you to return?

Aamna will not request. She didn't last time either. She is a thorough professional and we don't interfere in our work areas.

What if Shobhaji and Jeetuji call you back?

I respect them a lot. But this time I am firm. I am out of 'KTH' and I think this is a promise.

But promises are meant to be broken, Mr Khandelwal?

I returned once. Yeh koi khel nahin. Yeh koi masti nahin. Bahut Ho Gaya. But yes, if I realise that the system here can kill an actor if he walks out of a certain production house and a certain channel, I might decide to return.

So, you have just one serial in your kitty now, Ketan Mehta's show coming up on Zee?

True. But so what? I am not playing a safe game here.

You did a pilot for a serial by Anubhav Sinha. Has it been passed?

I have no intimation on that. It's a good comedy show. I may do it, I may not. Let's see.

Are you trying to hint that you are now looking at films?

No. The truth is that I don't know what I'll do. I am simply blank.