Actors switch to TV for recognition, says Rhehan Malliek

Mumbai: TV actor Rhehan Malliek, who made his Bollywood debut with `Ishqk In Paris`, says actors enter television industry initially for recognition and later pursue their goal of acting in films.

TV actor Gaurav Chanana became a household name as Dr Rahul Mehra in the popular soap `Sanjivani`. He later disappeared from small screen and is now back, this time as Rhehan Malliek (name changed) as the lead actor opposite Preity Zinta in `Ishqk In Paris`. "When I started, the film industry wasn`t that open to TV actors, but now it is. Now there are lot of TV actors coming into films. They work really very hard. Most of the actors come to Mumbai to be in films but due to lack of money and opportunity they divert towards TV to get recognition," Rhehan told reporters. Rhehan feels TV is a sort of stepping stone for actors to be in films. But he will not shy away from going back to small screen if the demand be. "For me TV is a second home. Whenever they need me I will go," he said. The actor plays Preity`s soul-mate in her Parisian love story `Ishqk In Paris`, directed by Prem Raj. Considering the film is touted as Preity`s comeback, Rhehan has no qualms about it. "It is Preity Zinta`s film. It is her comeback, she is a star and I am nobody. The very fact that I am in it is a big thing for me. People will come to watch Preity and after watching the film hopefully they like my work," he said. The film also has actor Salman Khan in a cameo appearance in a song ? `Kudiye Di Kurti`. "There are superstars, then there is a galaxy. I think Salman Khan is a `galaxy Khan`. To share stage and screen with him is an honour. He is a great guy," he said. After much delay, `Ishqk In Paris` hit cinema houses today. PTI