After making his debut with a youth based fiction show and then gaining further popularity with popular reality shows like ‘MTV Splitsvilla’ and ‘MTV Love School’, Shivam Babbar stepped into ‘Badho Bahu’, a popular daily soap. However, the actor soon realized that he was getting disconnected with his younger fans, the ones who made him popular in the first place. In this interview, the young actor, who hails from Delhi, talks about his love for acting, journey into the entertainment industry, why mentor Vikas Gupta should win ‘Bigg Boss Season 11’, catering to the youth and making the transition to the big screen.
You have been a part of different reality shows. You did a fiction show recently. When and how did the acting bug bit you?
I was in sixth or seventh standard when I performed on the stage for the first time. I danced on a song from ‘Ishq Vishk’. I started doing theatre in school and acted as a tree in school plays for almost a year. Then, I started getting more important parts. I remember playing ‘Romeo’ in the play ‘Romeo Juliet’ organised in my school. This was the time my interest in acting piqued. I joined Arvind Gaur’s theatre group in New Delhi when I was sixteen years old. I groomed myself for a while, came to Mumbai and got my first show ‘Warrior High’. After that, I participated in ‘MTV Splitsvilla 8’ wherein I got into a lot of fights and my image took a beating. Thanks to the love and support of my fans, my image is much better now and I am able to focus completely on my work.
Did you have any idols while growing up?
I have always been inspired by the performances of Shah Rukh Khan and Rajesh Khanna. I follow a lot of Hollywood actors and hugely influenced by the personalities of Robert Pattinson and Johnny Depp.
You recently quit the very popular show ‘Badho Bahu’. Why?
I had a good time working on the show but I realized I wanted to do something different. I am a young actor and my fan base consists of people ranging from the age of thirteen to twenty-five. So, I want to be a part of content that caters to their sensibilities. Being a part of a social drama that was made for more mature audience was not doing any good to my career. I am just twenty-three years old now but my character in ‘Badho Bahu’ was twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. I do not want to play older characters at this stage of my career.
You had paired up with Sophiya Singh for second season of the reality show ‘MTV Love School’. Are you still in a relationship with her?
I am single at the moment. Right now, I want to focus solely on my career. Sophia and I were friends before we started dating and we continue to be friends.