I am....Abhinav Shukla who knows where he's heading in life

Life is.... a journey full of good and bad moments

Love is... something that remains after it's over.

Marriage... is your own call.

Hugs or kisses.. with guys it's hugs and kisses with the opposite sex

Your first crush... it was no longer a crush after I first spoke to her. It was in class V.

Your first date.. with my girl friend in the college canteen

Your ideal woman should be... good looking, intelligent, and accommodating. Should know of all my likes and dislikes

Your dream date... there's no point in dreaming over something which is not realisable

What you did on your last birthday... went with family to a gaushala and made some religious offerings

How many places have you lived in... born and brought up in Punjab and now settled in Mumbai

Your long lasting friend... Amanjyot Singh. We've been friends for 12 years.

Do you make friends easily... yes, I do but only with those who are ready to bear me.

What kind of music do you like.... rock, ghazal and husky female voices

One thing you want to change about yourself... I want to be punctual again with my exercise regime

Favourite TV show.... everything on Discovery, Animal Plant or NAT Geo.

Favourite actor in Bollywood... Aamir Khan.

Favourite actor in Tellywood... myself

Favourite cartoon character... Tom 'n' Jerry

Last movie you watched... I watched 'The Blair Witch Project' on DVD

How do you rate yourself as an actor... I'll give myself six out of ten.

Last time you boarded a local train... three months ago, I travelled without ticket from Andheri to Lower Parel but got caught and was fined 350 bucks

Last time you were stalked... a noted homosexual in Lokhandwala was keen on befriending me but I refused.

Last time you went shopping... two weeks back at Inorbit Mall. Got myself an Espirit shirt and Ray Ban shades.

Last time you cried off the screen... A year back after having a fight with a friend

Last time you cooked... Yesterday, I made some nice Maggie noodles by adding eggs to it.

If not an actor then ... A photographer or a director

Philosophy of life... Live and let live.

Advice to youngsters... Read a lot and assimilate lot of knowledge. Don't indulge in drugs.

Model-turned actor Abhinav Shukla is currently wooing the audiences as the likeable Shantanu of Jaane Kya Baat Hui fame. The hunk had made his television debut with SAB show Jersey No.10.

In an exclusive chat with Tellychakkar, Abhinav talks about his new show, co-actor Shweta Tiwari, his passion for photography and more. Read on.

Jersey No.10 to Jaane Kya Baat Hui, you seem to be playing new games on a different field?

(Laughs) Yes, I'll have to agree with that but Shantanu and Arjun are all together different characters. The two shows are vastly different from each other.

You were once quoted saying that you wouldn't do the run-of-the-mill stuff. Is Jaane Kya Baat Hui different?

As far as the story and the screenplay are concerned, Jaane Kya Baat Hui is different. Another different thing about our show is that so far you must have not seen anybody cry. The only thing that hasn't changed is ours too is a family story.

Coming to your character, apparently there's a Masoom-like tale to Shantanu. Do you agree?

I won't deny it but that's what we do on television. There are very few scripts that can be worked upon. Human relationships, emotions form the cornerstone of our fictions. There is a defined parameter when it comes to our fictions.

Shantanu is meant to have a relationship with Aradhana (Shweta Tiwari). That would mean that he'll fall in love with his bhabhi. Is the Indian audience open to such a relationship?

Well, that's still to be revealed. Besides, we still don't know what this relationship would be. To answer the second part of your question. Well, I see no reason why people won't like this show. After all, people like to watch something which they can't do in their real life. Example – We love action movies but we never try to replicate those scenes in our real life.

But isn't infidelity a bigger sin than fighting?

There can be no bigger sin than smashing someone's skull. There's no brutality to infidelity.

Is Shantanu a negative character?

Not at all. Shantanu is a chilled out person. He understands relationships very well. He wants to be approved and loved by all. There's no negativity about him. Obviously, the family will later turn against him but Shantanu would never be negative.

How is it romancing Shweta Tiwari?

I still haven't done that explicitly but when it happens I'm sure it will be good to romance Shweta.

Are you apprehensive about enacting bold scenes with Shweta? Are you not worried how Raja Chaudhary will react?

Not for a moment did such a thing cross my mind. Besides, I see no threat to me from him.

Before Kasautii.. went off air, Shweta reportedly was giving a hard time to everyone on the sets. How's she like on the sets of Jaane kya baat..?

I don't know about the past but Shweta comes across as a thorough professional. She's absolutely committed and dedicated towards our show. Before any scene, you'll often find her discussing her shot with the creatives so as to get it right. As a person too she's very cordial.

What went wrong with Jersey No.10?

Nothing. We were doing fine. It's just that SAB shifted to being a comedy channel. Since our show didn't fit the bill we were asked to stop.

How is Abhinav faring as a photographer?

It's been great going for me. Recently, I visited the Chandrataal Lake in Himachal Pradesh. I've shot some great pictures there. A close friend accompanies me for such expeditions. During my free time, I take out my camera. I take the camera to work only when we're shooting in outdoor locations.

What's happening on the personal front? Are you seeing somebody?

No, I'm single and happy. Nor am I in any hurry to look for my dream girl. There are many girls who like me but I can't say the same about them. I'm an adventurer so I'd like to be with an adventuress. So far, I