Veteran television actor Chetan Hansraj has opened up about a career arc that spans four decades — from his debut in the late B.R. Chopra's landmark Mahabharat in the 1980s, to a return to the small screen in 2001 with the supernatural thriller Ssshhhh...Koi Hai, and ultimately a sustained second chapter through Balaji Telefilms productions from 2004 onwards. The actor, best known as one of Indian television's most reliable antagonists, reflected on what shaped him — and what he believes is holding the medium back.

The Mahabharat Beginning

'I actually started my television journey way back in the eighties with Mahabharat. That was BR Chopra's Mahabharat, the first massive show on Indian television. I was a part of it then,' Hansraj recalled. Produced by B.R. Chopra and directed by his son Ravi Chopra, the series — scripted by Pandit Narendra Sharma and based on the epic by Maharishi Veda Vyasa — remains a landmark in Indian broadcast history. Each episode ran 40–46 minutes and opened with a title song incorporating verses from the Bhagavad Gita.

A Long Gap, Then a Second Innings

After his early stint in Mahabharat, Hansraj stepped away from television for an extended period. 'After that, I didn't really do much television for a long time. I came back to TV directly in 2001 with Ssshhhh...Koi Hai and then from 2004 onwards, I majorly did Balaji shows. That's when my second innings on television truly started,' he said. The Balaji phase established him firmly in the villain mould, with memorable turns in Kkavyanjali, Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Baa Bahoo Aur Baby, Jodha Akbar, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, Mahakali – Anth Hi Aarambh Hai, Naagin 3, and Shiv Shakti – Tap Tyaag Tandav.

Beyond the Daily Soap

Hansraj has also tested himself outside scripted drama. He competed in reality formats including Fear Factor India, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao, and Lock Upp. On the big screen, he has appeared in Hindi films such as Bodyguard, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara, Shootout at Wadala, and Hero — a range that underscores his versatility beyond the television villain archetype.

Television's Missed Opportunity

Despite his long association with the medium, Hansraj did not spare it from criticism. 'Honestly, I feel television has immense potential, but it is not being utilised or fed the way it should be. We are still stuck making the same old daily soaps, revolving around the same stories and the same formulas,' he said. He argued that the medium could have explored far wider genres and storytelling styles than it has. This is a view increasingly echoed by industry observers as OTT platforms capture younger, urban audiences with shorter-format, higher-production content.

The OTT Challenge and Television's Path Forward

Hansraj acknowledged the audience shift but stopped short of writing off television. 'Television still holds a very major part of the viewership, especially in middle India. In smaller towns and even in bigger towns, there are still a large number of people who watch television every day,' he noted. However, he stressed that complacency is not an option: 'For that audience to stay, television will slowly have to evolve and upscale itself to match what people are now used to watching on OTT platforms. The storytelling, the treatment, the pacing — everything needs to change with time.' Whether the industry heeds that call from one of its own long-serving faces remains to be seen.