Apr 11, 2026 11:24am IST
Kanwar Dhillon Reacts To Rumors Of His Serial ‘Udne Ki Aasha’ Ending After The IPL: ‘There Are Many People Who Are Not Happy To See Your Success’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Kanwar Dhillon has had a good run on Indian TV with two consecutive successful shows, “Pandya Store” and “Udne Ki Aasha.". The actor who is filming outdoors for a crucial upcoming track of “Udne Ki Aasha" said he was unfazed by rumours around the show being axed, which are doing the rounds. He also discussed the consistent TRPs of the show and why Indian TV audiences need relatable content. Excerpts from a chat with Variety India.
‘Udne Ki Aasha' completed 700 episodes with stable TRPs. What do you feel worked well with the audience?
I would say that God and the audience have been kind to us for this great run. As an actor, you get few shows that are character-driven on Indian TV. A character with a strong arc is what I have always wanted in a script. For me, a good show is one that driven by its strong character. I feel I was destined to play Sachin, and this show is one of my best.
After ‘Pavitra Rishta', people felt this show was one truly aimed at the urban Indian middle and lower middle classes.
Our show is very relatable. I personally believe TV is all about shows striking a chord with audiences on common grounds. The shows that wrapped up early did not have that quotient. Of course, we can have shows around robots or extramarital affairs, but they need good writing and execution. I feel new or bold themes too can work as long as they strike that relatable quotient for a household audience. “Udne Ki Aasha", when it started, was rare as it told the story of a taxi driver. We have a huge middle and lower-middle-class audience that wants engaging and relatable content. So, when we broke through the clutter of shows mounted around rich families with opulent homes, it felt like an achievement.
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While Sachin had alcoholism issues, he had pretty balanced views on gender equality. Even the woke audience like the character..
Sachin did not grow up in a patriarchal household. He always saw his family taking a neutral stand irrespective of gender. He was born in a village but did not grow up in one. Sachin has respect for a person irrespective of his job or income. He is happy being a taxi driver and wants to grow at his own pace. It is a rare character in today’s cutthroat world where competition is intense even in families. Emotionally, he is old-school. He tells his wife, Sailee (Neha Harsora), that he is happy with her growth in life but tells her not to lose sleep over failures. The core essence of his character has been the same throughout.
Why do you think shows fizzle away on Indian TV despite good starts?
I think it happens when one falters with the writing of main characters. By the end of 20 episodes, you see a completely different person. I think our consistency in writing played a huge role in this successful journey. From a brash boy struggling with alcohol who gets married off forcefully, to his current situation, some values of Sachin have stayed intact. I, too, have been part of shows where makers changed characters overnight due to TRP pressures. I feel we need to have some faith in writers.
There are rumours that ‘Udne Ki Aasha’ might end after the IPL.
This news comes out every now and then. It started from the time the show got on air (laughs). You know, there are many people who are not happy to see you on the top, your success. We retained our position in the top five shows as per BARC list for a whole year. Saying that, multiple factors impact TRPs of any show. I do not pay heed to such news. Viewers will see some interesting upcoming sequences that will bring more growth to the characters’ journey.
Alice (Kaushik) is getting immense love for Naagin 7. What did you feel about her performance?
The opening episode was unexpected (laughs). The way she looked and performed surprised all of us. I am sure she will continue to do great work and just amaze us as always!
Do you think Indian TV soaps, if made in the limited episode format of Korean dramas, will work in India?
I do feel finite dramas can work with our audience, but not the 15-20 episode format. Our viewers take their own sweet time to get attached to the show and its characters. The flow cannot be hurried to that extent. But six or eight-month long shows are a very good idea.
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