People who know me were shocked when I signed 'Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke,' says Shaheer Sheikh

Shaheer Sheikh will now be seen in Rajan Shahi’s Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke. The show will mark his return to the fiction genre, something that he self-admittedly prefers to stay away from.

Talking about the same, he said, “People who know me were shocked when I signed the show. I was quite hesitant initially. I have always said that daily soaps are not my thing, as the heroes don’t get much screen space. They don’t have a story to tell nor do they have a character graph. That’s the reason I had declined a few shows, which went on to become popular. I would choose something like Salim-Anarkali over everything else and I played the iconic character of Salim since it was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That’s the kind of show I would want to show my children.”

Shaheer’s new show produced by popular producer Rajan Shahi talks about two ideologies pitted against each other — arranged marriage vs knowing a person before you decide to take the plunge. Shaheer says that his situation in life is similar to his heroine’s, as his parents have been persuading him to settle down. “My parents have tried everything, photos dikhaaye hain bahut baar. I remember this one time when I was out shopping with my sister, and a girl met me at the mall, which was secretly arranged by my mom. My parents, who are currently in Mumbai, have been breathing down my neck for me to settle down. They have vowed that they won’t go back home until I get married. So, I will have to figure a way out .”

On being asked about what is stopping him, he replied, “I can take the plunge only when I feel it from within. I can’t do it just because the family, society, and people around want me to. When you are not sure about a relationship culminating in marriage, you shouldn’t go ahead with it. Or else, you will end up scarring lives and that’s the worst you can do to each other. Also, I can't get married to a person without knowing her.”

The spin-off show  Ye Risthey Hai Pyar Ke will replace Ishqbaaz, and will go on air from March 18, 2019. Apart from Shaheer and Rhea, Pooja Joshi, Lata Sabberwal, Rithwik Arora, Roopal Patel, and Sangeeta Kapure will play vital roles in the show.