Gurgaon resident seeks a second stint at TV

For Old Gurgaon resident Mohan Kant, who is eyeing a comeback in the TV and film industry, age is just a number. The 54-year-old returned from Mumbai in 1999 to support his family after reluctantly giving up on a 12-year-old career in the TV industry. Now, he is again making attempts to return to first love – acting.
Brought up in Gurgaon, Kant was always drawn towards the stage and actively participated in theatre festivals.He even went to pursue his post-graduation in theatre from Punjab University, Chandigarh. “In 1987, I went to Mumbai to fulfill my dream of making it big in the TV and film industry. The initial days were full of hardships, but soon I started getting work. I got my first break in an episode of 'Hum Panchchi Ek Daal Ke'. Then, I got a chance to play many big and small parts in DD National serials like 'Mirza Ghalib', 'Bharat Ek Khoj', 'Janki Jasoos', 'Dreamland Apartment' and 'Yugantar', among others,” he tells us.
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He says that after a few years came the era of private channels that brought a deluge of new serials. “I got an opportunity to act in most of the initial serials of these channels like 'Banegi Apni Baat' and 'Grihalakshmi Ka Jinn' for Zee, and 'Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti', 'Aahat' and many others for Sony.”
Though he even acted in films like 'Patthar Ke Phool' and 'Maachis', Mohan feels that his role of an antagonist in the serial 'Trikaal' was his best work. He rues, “The channel it was telecast on was not accessible to everyone and many couldn’t see my work. I had a steady career, but it was time for me to seek meatier roles. Had people from the industry noticed my work in 'Trikaal', my fate would’ve been something else.”
But destiny required Kant to return to Gurgaon, give up on acting and start a food distribution business. Last year, Kant incurred heavy losses in the business and decided to wind it up and do what he knows best. Not only did he take the job of faculty member in an acting school in Gurgaon, he also called up old friends asking them to help him bag roles. He recently shot for 'Mann Mein Hai Vishwas' and 'Savdhaan India'. “I plan to shift back to Mumbai and start my second innings. This time, I won’t be like a ‘babe’ in the woods, and there will be no ambition of being a hero,” he says.