Fresh off his successful run as Virat in Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye (KMTMG), Arjit Taneja wasn’t planning to jump into another project right away. He had hoped to take a short break and cherish the memories of his last show. But fate had other plans, and he soon found himself on the sets of Jhanak , stepping in as the new male lead post the generational leap.

He recalls, “While I was still shooting for KMTMG, I got a call from the production house of Jhanak for what I thought was a new show. I did a mock shoot but didn’t think much of it since I was busy wrapping up a show I was emotionally invested in. Later, they told me the mock shoot wasn’t for a new show but for the male lead in Jhanak after the leap. I declined the offer. I’ve always believed that if I do a show, I want to start from the beginning. With leaps, there’s usually a hangover of the original cast that lingers with the audience.”

In fact, he had even taken to social media to clarify, tweeting that he hadn’t signed any new show. “I really wanted to take a break and relax. KMTMG was very special to me, and I needed time to let it all sink in. That’s why I tweeted—to clear the air about Jhanak, which at that point, I wasn’t doing.”

So, what changed his mind? “The makers reached out again and explained their vision. They pitched it as a new version with a fresh story, and that made me see it differently,” he replies.

Arjit continues, “I realised that this opportunity kept coming back multiple times. And here I was, repeatedly saying no. That didn’t sit right with me. I had just wrapped up my previous show 10–15 days ago and spent time unwinding with family and friends in Delhi. But I also thought, at a time when so many actors are struggling for good roles, why was I turning this down again and again? It’s a good show, a good platform, and the offer was solid, including the money.”

Admitting it took him a while to accept the role due to lingering emotions from his last character, he says, “I hadn’t fully processed Virat’s journey ending. I’m still reeling from the incredible experience of shooting Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye. It was truly a special time on set — unforgettable and impossible to replicate. I miss it every single day. As an actor, you need that time. But sometimes, you have to trust the timing. So, I finally said yes. Right now, I’m in the process of adjusting to the new role and settling in.”