Throwing away an upwardly-mobile career in Central America is typical of Mahesh Thakur’s impulsive streak. Five years in the cut-throat world of marketing, and this Masters in Business Administration decided enough is enough. One fine day, instead of going to the office, he hopped on to the next flight and headed for Mumbai. Mahesh decided that the time had come for him to act on his dream.

quot;I was always participating in school plays and college dramas. In fact, I was most comfortable acting,quot; says the 29 year old. But acting as a career option proved to be much more difficult than catching a plane. Mahesh’s major hurdle was a lack of command over Hindi. Though he had a fairly good grip over Bambaiya Hindi, what Mahesh wanted to master was shuddh Hindi. Diction sessions were accompanied by the rigorous schedule of Roshan Taneja’s acting class.

Did all this formal training help groom the actor in him? quot;Not really. These classes just help you polish your skills. Acting is an in-born talent. No onecan make you act, it has to come from within,quot; he says. So until a director discovered that inner light, Mahesh kept himself busy with a few modelling assignments — remember the bushy-mustached traffic cop in the Kit Kat ad? More recently, he is the goofy husband singing the praises of MDH masalas.

That ad is a spin-off from Mahesh’s first step into fame. He became every woman’s ideal man with his role in Sailaab — as the bubbly, loving, sensitive and forgiving husband to Renuka Shahane. In real life however Mahesh is not that forgiving. He remembers every slight during his days as a struggler, when he was knocking on doors. quot;One time a director promised me a role in a serial. He also convinced me that I should not leave anything half-way like so many other newcomers. So, I agreed to almost everything he said. Things were fixed and he said he would call me. I waited for weeks and nothing! He remembered me after 30 episodes of Sailaab. Then I refused,quot; he says.

On the other hand, for RaviRai — his mentor, the man who took a risk with a rank newcomer — Mahesh has nothing but praise. quot;It’s great the way he operates. He brings out the best in me,quot; he says. After his first role as Avinash in Sailaab, he became a regular feature in Rai’s other serials. Always as an innocent, happy-go-lucky young man. From teacher to Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai. quot;I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be working with him,quot; says Mahesh.

Rai also holds him in similar esteem. He has promised his star that he will keep writing roles for him till Mahesh wins an award. But if being typecast does not bother him, the allegation that he apes someone does. He dislikes being called the Rishi Kapoor of small screen’. quot;I don’t really copy him in mannerisms, and neither do I look like him,quot; he says. But he is following in his footsteps. Mahesh is making his debut to Bollywood with an enviable banner. Cast opposite Neelam in a Sooraj Barjatya film, his big break is the stuff that dreams are made of. Whilework on the film has not started, Mahesh is clear that television will remain his top priority. As do live performances. These days he is busy with Made For Each Other, an English play, where he works with Seema Kapoor. Being on stage for him is an actor’s delight’. quot;It’s a release. You learn something with each show, therefore every performance is better than the earlier one. If you make a mistake, you learn to cover it up,quot; he says.

And does the real Mahesh Thakur make mistakes? quot;Of course! I question people who are extremely good or evil or even sacrificing. But I do believe that God is in every human being,quot; he says. Deeply spiritual, he loves to study people, life, after-life, the soul and karma. He avoids vices and doesn’t party, drink or smoke. When friends ask him, What do you live for?’ his answer is simple: quot;I live to be an actor.quot;