An uphill task

Mona

Two boys and a girl set to conquer not only the highest peak of the world but also their own fears, is the premise of Everest, Star Plus’ ongoing show. And the boys, Salil Salathia and Rohan Gandotra, in Chandigarh to promote their show sure make those present fall in love them…

This duo, who debut on small screen with Everest, has background in both information technology and modelling. They admit that landing in Ashutosh Gowariker’s telly show was no mean task. Auditions and look tests that carried on for a month had a basic fitness and stamina test too for this soap was to be shot in sub-zero temperature.

“Ours is an adventure drama totally devoid of kitchen politics,” opens Sahil. Mountaineering is something that these boys did not fully comprehend till they underwent trekking and camping in Kolad, Maharashtra. “Trekking is one thing and acting is another. Bring both together in the sub-zero temperature, that’s the real test,” says Rohan, sharing how in minus six temperature at Dokriani glacier in Uttarakhand, their speech would slur. “Not only one had to memorise the lines and deliver with the right diction but also wear the correct expression of a mountaineer,” adds Sahil.

Happy to have landed in a soap that’s award-winning filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker’s brainchild, the actors consider themselves lucky. It’s a debut for their co-actor Shamata Anchan, too. Though each of the three characters — Anjali, Arjun Sabharwal and Aakash Joshi – are the parallel leads, the boys condescend it is Anjali’s story that’s the soul of the show. Sahil, who plays Arjun, a 28-year-old mountaineer whose greatest ambition in life is to conquer Mt Everest, is happy that the character he plays is grey which give him scope to perform. “Arjun like you and I, does some right and some wrong things in life but he is aware of wrongdoings and is ready to atone for them.”

Rohan plays Aakash Joshi, a journalist, who would run for any masala story, aims to conquer his fear of heights climbing the Everest.

The finite show that’s on for about a month has earned the team some great reviews. “For a change it’s men too who are tuning in to Indian soaps,” says Sahil. “Many corporate guys have walked up to me sharing that they wind up their work to catch the show at 10.”

For one thing, not only these young actors are eye candies but so well groomed (credit to education and corporate experience) and passionate about their craft that their energy is infectious. “The shoot is over. You like it or not you will see us till the end of it,” says Sahil, who along with Rohan talk endlessly about Ashutosh Gowariker. “He is a perfectionist. Penning the script took him over two years. Not only were the shoots exhaustive but training too carried on for us to live the part we played,” says Rohan. “And, so humble he is that he could get the kind of work he wanted done and make you feel good about yourself too!”

And, yes, given the time and leisure, the boys would love to climb the summit in real. “It would take us for over two years to train and try but yes why not,” they chorus.

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Khan do without them!

Khans are idols for Salil Salathia and Rohan Gandotra. While Sahil goes gaga over Aamir Khan on how he makes the necessary changes like body and mannerism to look the part, Rohan revers Shah Rukh Khan for the way he romances his actresses. And, yes, they both are open to good work on small screen and big post their show.