Shaad Randhawa: It's unfair to think star kids have it easy

He's best recalled for his intense performances in films like 'Aashiqui 2', 'Awaarapan' and his debut, 'Woh Lamhe'. His recent act in 'Raakh' has also been widely appreciated. High on success, Shaad Randhawa says he's looking forward to a great journey ahead. Excerpts:
Your last film before 'Raakh' was a comedy. How has the transformation been?
I started out in moviebiz with a dark role in 'Woh Lamhe'.I did an intense part in 'Awaarapan', 'Aashiqui 2' and 'Ek Villain' too. So, it's not such a vast transformation from comedy to dark roles. What drew me to 'Raakh' were the intensity and the depth of the role. I've never played something like that before. When Milaap Zaveri narrated the plot to me, I was hooked instantly because I loved what was on offer.
Plenty of filmmakers like Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Sanjay Gupta and David Dhawan have appreciated the film.
The response has been amazing. When we set out to do this film, we knew we were attempting something different. Touchwood, it went off well. I realise that people support you when you are doing a good job and no one holds back appreciation. It doesn't matter if it's a short film or any other format.
Is it difficult to make it in the industry when you are an outsider?
I have the deepest respect for star kids who get a platform but find acceptance only if they're worthy. It's unfair to think that they have it easy. The expectations are far more and no one succeeds just like that. I'm not so much of a star kid, so I comparatively had lesser expectations from the world outside but I worked doubly hard to ensure that I made every role count. I learnt with every film. I just feel that whoever you are, you must be able to tell people that you love your job and you're passionate about it without being loud. The right kind of work will always find you.
What's next in store?
I'm focused on my journey right now and not the destination. So, I enjoy every role that comes my way. I'm waiting to pick an interesting role now. Let's see what happens.