He admits to having been closed to doing anything on TV, but never say no is the mantra for actor Abhay Deol, who carved a niche for himself with 'zara hatke' roles in films like "Dev D". He will now be seen on the small screen, which he says was completely unplanned.
"I never thought of being a part of the small screen. If anything they said was for TV, I would say no without even thinking about it," Abhay, who will be hosting Zee TV's new show "Connected Hum Tum", told IANS.
When the project came his way, he said, his manager "was like just consider it, at least take a look at it".
"Then I took a look at it and I got interested," he said.
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The show also made him question his close-mindedness about TV.
"I asked myself 'What is it about TV that you are closed to?' The interest generated through the show made me question my close-mindedness towards TV."
"Connected Hum Tum" is about six women, who will capture every moment of their lives through cameras. Abhay will try to link their stories together.
Abhay, 37, was launched by his uncle Dharmendra in his home production "Socha Na Tha" opposite Ayesha Takia.
Asked how it feels to be born in a star family, the actor said: "One gets bored as there is nothing black and white in life."
"At some places it's an advantage and at some it's a disadvantage. It depends on person to person, situation to situation and project to project."
After "Socha Na Tha" in 2005, he found his own space by doing films like "Oye Lucky!Lucky Oye!, "Dev D", "Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd." and "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". His "Manorama Six Feet Under" won the best film award at the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival.
Abhay started living on his own when he was 18 after graduating from Otis Parson's School of Fine Arts and Design, California. Though his parents were apprehensive about his decision to begin with, they later accepted it.
"They were just concerned: was I comfortable and safe? As soon as they knew that I was not being stupid and I was not going to do anything stupid, they were fine with it, and accepted for what I am. I have a great family that way."
The "Dev D" star also opened up about his relationship with actress-super model Preeti Desai.
"We have a regular relationship like any two people in love, with its ups and downs, with good and bad."
Asked about how his family responded to his live-in relationship, he said: "My family is very traditional and they are more conservative. But I was born in a city that accepted all kinds of people; so if I am to look at myself as someone from an urban centre, I am quite normal by being non-traditional."
He added: "I don't judge my family for what they are and they don't judge them for who I am. It took some time, but they are comfortable with it now."
The actor has just finished the shoot for his film "One By Two" in which he stars with Preeti, who was earlier seen in "Shor In The City". The film is also his debut as a producer.
He will also be seen in a special appearance in the Sonam Kapoor-Dhanush starrer "Raanjhnaa" releasing June 21.