Emotional Atyachar gets a new host

After four months of being on air, Emotional Atyachar, on UTV Bindaas, has a new host. Vivan Bhatena, model-turned-actor who plays one of the leads on Pyar Ka Bandhan on Sony, is thrilled to step in as the new agony uncle on the relationship show, replacing Angad Bedi. Here’s what he had to say while he was shooting for his second episode:

How did the replacement therapy come about?
(Laughs) Angad, I was informed had moved on to hosting IPL. UTV got in touch with me. I auditioned for the job and was finalised. It happened at lightening speed though.

How many episodes have you shot so far?
We’ve nearly finished two episodes. The first one has already been aired. The second one I’ve partially shot for. We can’t complete the second episode because our lead doesn’t have the time to come over for the shoot today. It’s all so funny.

Don’t you feel anxious stepping into Angad Bedi’s shoes?
It’s difficult to even think of stepping into someone’s shoes, as a host or as a character artiste, in a daily. But I’m actually very confident that I would be able to pull it off because the content is looking great. It’s also about one’s personality and how comfortable one is with the work profile. I’ve stepped out of shows midway so many times. So, I know how this replacement therapy actually works.

How would you manage a daily like Pyar Ka Bandhan and this show together?
Both Balaji and UTV are quite accommodating in that respect. They’ve smartly worked my timings out and they are willing to let me switch over from one show to the other comfortably.

And now, I hear you are planning to take on more reality TV shows. Aren’t you biting a bit more than you can chew?
I don’t think so. Look, every meeting need not be a fruitful one. I get so many offers, but that doesn’t mean I take on everything. I am in talks with the channel for a couple of other shows. I don’t know what will eventually get finalised or if something will at all be finalised. So, you’re right that I have offers, but I can’t say much about them.

You’ve even done quite a few Hindi films like Chak De! India and passing shots in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Do you feel you’ve been getting a raw deal?
I don’t think so. In fact, I feel no role is big or small. It’s the actors who think that they are big and so they deserve a bigger role. It never works that way. I’m a complete outsider in this industry. Landing lead roles in films will take a while. I don’t mind the roles and ‘passing shots’ I’m getting right now. At least I know people are noticing me and one day I will get what I deserve. I will be a hero!