‘Naagin 7’: Actor Namik Paul On TRP Success, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary’s Commitment And Untimely End Of Former Shows (EXCLUSIVE)

A former journalist, Namik Paul’s entry into the world of TV brought him instant success. TV audiences were quick to warm up to Shravan Malhotra, his character from “Ek Duje Ke Vaaste.” After a largely successful run, Namik Paul saw two of his shows taken off the air within months. But “Naagin 7” has again turned the tide in his favor, becoming one of the top Indian shows on the TRP (Television Rating Points) charts and OTT. Excerpts from our chat. 

“Naagin 7” is doing well on the TRP charts….Do you feel vindicated by its success? 

I am very happy with the response so far. I think “Naagin 7” was the longest setup that I have ever had for any of my shows. It was almost two to three months. So, I was really excited about bringing it to the viewers. These numbers prove that people are really liking the show.  It's been very gratifying, to say the least. 

You're playing a bureau head of a TV news channel. Did it remind you of your days as a TV journalist? 

I have been a journalist with a leading news channel in India. So, I am very well acquainted with the kind of chaos that ensues before any actual telecast. We showed that in a couple of episodes. So, that was fun. They (top electronic news channels) have very high standards, especially in operations. So, that's something I took from my actual work experience.  Obviously, “Naagin 7” is a commercial show, so there is a bit of drama. It is part of the show too! 

From “Kavach 2” to “Naagin 7,” have you had a good association with Balaji Telefilms?
It has been great. There's a reason that they are one of the biggest production houses. They are popular with actors because of their organized way of working. Balaji Telefilms takes very good care of the whole team. Working with them is always a breeze.

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The untimely end of “Kumkum Bhagya” disappointed many fans who loved Pranali Rathod and you as a pair. 

I had a wonderful experience working on “Kumkum Bhagya.” It was a very calm and peaceful set. And I'm glad that we continued our friendship even after the show ended. 

“Lag Ja Gale” and “Kumkum Bhagya” did not have a long run on TV. Were you disheartened that the shows ended quickly?

It was not the going off-air part that was extremely disappointing. As I said, the set of “Kumkum Bhagya” and the people that I was working with were extremely nice. And it was the same thing with “Lag Ja Gale.” It was disappointing to say goodbye. I had such good camaraderie and great chemistry with both Pranali (Rathod) in “Kumkum Bhagya” and Tanisha (Mehta) in “Lag Ja Gale.” What happened in Kumkum is that we had a very long extension period after finding out that it was going off air. We had about a month and a half to kind of absorb it. First, it was supposed to go off air by the end of August, but then it got a couple of weeks' extension. So, we were equipped to handle the development by then.

How is Priyanka Chahar Choudhary as a co-star?

I find Priyanka (Chahar Choudhary) very sorted, calm and focused. She is easy to get along with. She always has her inputs to a scene and is open to suggestions. But then, if I say like... Can we try this? She is always open to it. So, it's like the perfect kind of working situation.

She has a huge responsibility on her shoulders. Priyanka is the Naagin of our show and she is executing her character beautifully. No one feels stressed around her. She comes to the set relaxed and motivated. And like we like to rehearse our scenes beforehand. think we have a good give-and-take equation when it comes to work. 

After the first promo, people drew comparisons to “Stranger Things” and “Gyeongseong Creature”. What do you have to say about that? 

I don't know about the Korean show you are talking about. But I think in mythology, in fantastical shows, there is a template. There is usually a chosen one. There is a realization of powers with a hidden thread that unravels slowly.   Even if you see Vecna in “Stranger Things,” there are a lot of similarities with Voldemort from Harry Potter. These are tropes. I read fantasy fiction a lot.

It's one of my favorite genres. If Harry Potter is the chosen one, then you have chosen ones in others too.  I am not drawing comparisons to Harry Potter or “Stranger Things.” I am just saying that in these kinds of mythological stories, superhero genres, there is a slow realization of powers.  So, you can say that this looks like XYZ.  But that is it, no matter how many superhero movies you watch, it is part of the genre. 

‘Naagin’ has been known for the chemistry between the lead pairs. Many believe that Arjun Bijlani-Mouni Roy is still the benchmark? Did you plan to recreate that kind of magic? 

Never thought about it. I feel all credit to them and to the makers and writers.  Of course, all the former couples are amazing.

A whole team effort goes into bringing it on screen. I think it is a testimony to team effort. That’s why we are here with “Naagin.” Because like I said, VFX etc. is important, but at the same time, what you remember more is the Naagin. The love stories and the revenge arc stay on. The story elements are really important. As an actor, you would want your story and its arcto be  different from previous seasons. It should have its own individual charm. Saying that, all of them made their mark. That is why we have arrived at this point. 

How do you deal with insecurity that is a given in the life of an actor? What is your coping mechanism? 

You don't have a coping mechanism. I think you just show up every time after a failure. And you do as good of a job as you can. At the same time, you understand. As an actor, at times, you’re asked how you can revive a show when the TRPs are down. And the very honest answer is: One actor can do nothing.