Tall and handsome, the sexy dude seems to have made quite a splash in tinsel town. Having made his debut in “Apun Ka Choice” with co-stars Adah Sharma, Rakhi Sawant and Anjori Alagh, Rajneesh Duggal shifted arenas from modelling to acting. His Grasim Mr. India title in 2003 won him accolades and he was soon offered the lead role in “1920”, which did well at the box office. Prior to this, he had done quite a number of fashion shows with leading designers in the country.
“I wanted to do an offbeat movie and prove my mettle the tough way and so accepted the role in ‘1920'. The movie fared pretty well and am glad I excelled in my endeavours,” says the actor proudly. The young Lochinvar gets talking with NXg about his work, tastes and life… (Excerpts)
Who's your idol?
Well…quite a few of them. Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, Bill Gates…each is a leader in his or her own way and there is so much to learn from them.
If not an actor, what would you have been?
Definitely a businessman. In fact, I have been involved in my family business since I was 17 years old and can see a lot of scope there.
Tell us about the heroine of “Phirr”, Roshni Chopra…
Roshni has a lot of experience as she comes from the small screen. She has done a few tele-soaps. So facing the camera is not alien to her.
It is always a pleasure working with a debutant because they bring freshness to the sets and a lot of new ideas.
Movies in the pipeline…
I've signed a couple of films. There is “Dropout”, “Ruthwa” and two other comedies coming up. All these movies are different and am pretty optimistic about them.
Your favourite Bollywood flicks?
“Shakti” and “Veer Zara” — the former for its intensity and the latter for the beautifully spun love story.
Hollywood flick that you could watch over and over again…
Rocky series
Your hobbies...
I love swimming, kick boxing and at times indulge in a game or two of cricket and football.
Your fitness mantra…
I hit the gym four to five times a week. Otherwise run or swim. I am into kick boxing too. I drink lots of water. Am a complete vegetarian and strictly maintain a healthy diet.
Your motto…
Dream big and believe in them. Only you have the power to make your dreams come true…
