From Bollywood’s drama-ridden corridors in Showtime, Khandelwal is now gearing up for a treasure hunt of sorts with his next Disney+ Hotstar show. The yet-untitled series, helmed by Munjya maker Aditya Sarpotdar, is an adaptation of Marathi novel Pratipashchandra. For the actor, the highlight is working with Sarpotdar. “There are people who want to bring another side to you [on screen]. Aditya is one of them. In this series, he will perform more than us because it’s all about storytelling. I keep telling him, ‘You had Munjya and Kakuda. Now, make this as big as Munjya,’” he laughs.

In a career spanning over two decades, Khandelwal has followed his own rules, be it transitioning to films at the peak of his TV career or taking regular breaks. “There is no safe way to approach anything. If you have [talent] and experiment, you will fall and rise, but you have to believe in yourself. Don’t believe in what others say. It is good to know that I didn’t corrupt myself.”