Priyank Sharma: You will definitely see Rahat 2.0 with Punchh Beat season 2

Priyank Sharma is all set to reprise his role as Rahat in Puncch Beat season 2. At the press conference for the same, the actor assured people that they will definitely see Rahat 2.0 with the new season. “It is an evolved version of him and I hope people will like it,” he shared.

The new season brings an MMA factor. Priyank found that aspect the toughest since he had to invest more time in learning the art than acting. He, however, feels that being a dancer helped him in some way.

The actor stated that the journey has been ‘too much fun’. Priyank also added that he has been receiving a positive response for his character.

Elaborating on his good experience, Priyank shared, “The connection with each other (from the cast) was so intact that we survived the project and made justice to it to our maximum abilities. It’s a combined effort.”

Most of the cast members are coming back to the series, as happens with new seasons. “We got a good opportunity to reconnect. We have lived on the sets - whether happy or stressed,” shared Priyank on the same.

Samir Soni added, “The whole team has gelled really well. The experience was fab.”

Calling his character the most fascinating in his life, the actor added, “I’ve never been so evil in my life. It’s a win-win situation.”

Despite being fascinated, Samir is convinced that Rajveer is ‘a jerk’ who is politically incorrect. Unable to understand his behaviour, the actor eventually said ‘he is what he is’. “It was just like playing Gabbar Singh once I accepted that. Even the team wasn’t sure since I never played a father to a young guy. Rajveer is a ‘my way or the highway’ kind of person,” the actor shared.

Samir said that he loves his scenes with Priyank. He also mentioned that the characters are so well placed that one does not overshadow the other. Further explaining how he has broken some or the other thing in every episode in Puncch Beat season 2, the actor expressed his desire to see Rajveer become more evil with every season.

Both Samir Soni and Rushad Rana play elder characters and they are at loggerheads in the season. While Samir is seen in the role of a father (which he wishes to continue doing with the show), Rushad plays a boxing coach ‘Rana’ in the show.

“I would call it my second innings. I was dying to play more matured roles. Luckily they all came at the same time,” said Samir. Rushad, on the other hand, feels his character is an underdog in the show.

Interestingly, life came a full circle for Rushad, who started his career as a student in Hip Hip Hurray. He feels that the students of Punchh Beat have social media to discuss and understand everything. Back in Hip Hip Hurray’s time, they had to go the extra mile to find out any information.

The actor has played the role of a professor three times already, Punchh Beat being his first time on OTT. He feels this is his most intense character as compared to the other two times he played a teacher.

Despite their difference of opinion, both Samir and Rushad agree that OTT has provided them with great opportunity, much like it did with many artists. The latter said that web series provide a better opportunity to prepare for a character and shared, “We have entered a new and beautiful spectrum of work. We can do better work and have the opportunity to do that.”

Rushad also feels he lost out on a lot of work owing to people’s perceptions. “I don’t feel any shame in approaching casting directors for work. We have to refuse and reach out to casting directors. We lose out on work because of perception. I shoot for Anupamaa for a day in a month and people think that I shoot for months at an end,” the actor shared, adding that he might have lost out on good Television projects for two-three years while chasing a good Bollywood debut.