Playing Chandragupta is a demanding job: Ashish Sharma

Mumbai: Ashish Sharma, who will be seen as the grown-up Chandragupta Maurya on a TV serial, says essaying the role is strenuous and physically exhausting.

Sharma, who was earlier seen in the lead role in another soap `Gunaaho Ka Devta`, takes over from Rushiraj Pawar (who played the younger version) in the serial produced by Sagar Arts. Sharma said he worked out for more than a month to develop the physique suited to a king and also read a lot about the Maurya dynasty and Chankaya. "Our history books in school have lessons on the Maurya dynasty and people are well-versed with the subject. The serial will dwell deeper on the life and times of the king. We like to connect to our own historical characters onscreen and I am confident that I will be able to do justice to the role," he said. According to him, the Imagine TV serial `Chandragupta Maurya` has been receiving an overwhelming response from the audience. "It is a timeless saga," he said. "Chanakya helped Chandragupta become a master strategist, a diplomatic ruler, as well as a sensitive and intuitive human being," Sharma said, adding that he considered it an honour to play Chandragupta. PTI