THOUSANDS of hearts skipped a beat, as Rajeev Khandelwal took on the microphone at a programme organised by Hriday Mitra Prathisthan. In town to distribute cheques to needy patients who require medical assistance, on behalf of the Prathisthan, Khandelwal surely proved that he may be out of sight, but not out of mind.

The actor who is still better known as Sujal—the character he played in the serial Kahiin To Hoga on Star Plus, was accompanied by television and film actor Vishal Kotian. But the former of course grabbed all limelight, as a packed audience threw questions at him.

Once again Khandelwal began by explaining why he stopped playing Sujal, and left Kahiin To Hoga, the show that fetched him so much fame. “I decided to part way from the show as it had lost its essence and was being continued for the heck of it,” said the actor who hails from Jaipur and has an army background.

Talking about the three month hiatus from television, where he was last seen in Zee televisions, Time Bomb, Khandelwal said, “I don’t want to do stuff for the sake of it. The expectations from the audience are high, and I want to make sure that I keep up to it whenever I sign a serial.” Same logic goes with films, as the actor admitted, “I have been getting offers, but nothing that excited me. I want to make sure that whatever I do makes me proud when I look back five years down the line.”

On a more serious note, the actor also urged the audience to follow a healthy lifestyle, where he asked them, “To exercise regularly, follow a balanced diet, not smoke and abstain from junk food.” Tips also came for family of those who recently underwent a heart surgery. Speaking from personal experience, where his father had a bypass surgery recently, Khandelwal said, “It’s most important to be with the patient and support them post the surgery, as they need to be told that someone cares for them and loves them.”

For those who don’t know, Khandelwal also has a Pune connection, and he used to visit the city often till a few years back, as his brother was posted at NDA. “I simply love the city, as it has a cultural feel to it. I remember having fun jogging from the university circle to NDA—it’s a beautiful patch,” said the actor, who began he has career by making documentary films on issues like women’s labour, old age and the Indian army, a few of which were screened on Doordarshan.

Last but not the least, Khandelwal had to describe his relationship with Aamna Sharif, his co-star in Kahiin To Hoga. “We are just good friends, and Aamna is a nice girl,” said the actor. On the qualities that he would be seek in a good wife, he said, “I just hope I don’t have to use words to express my feelings to her.” And the response sure got a loud applause from the audience, who also got an opportunity to listen to Khandewal rendering the title song Thoda Sa Pyaar Hua Hai.