Exclusive: Mohit Hiranandani recalls his Patiala Babes journey, ‘My custom clearance in London was easy because of Mickey’s character’

Mohit Hiranandani, who made his debut in TV with dating reality show Splitsvilla 10, earned immense popularity and love for his next show Patiala Babes. In an exclusive and freewheeling chat with ETimes TV, Mohit talks about the fandom he gained post Patiala Babes and his other show Pavitra Bhagya going off-air suddenly and more.

I was in the first season of Patiala Babes and I will be forever grateful to Rajita (Sharma) maam for giving me this show. She gave me such a beautiful character Mickey. I loved the character. He was the cheerful character and would lighten up every time anyone became sad in the scene. Though Mickey’s character wasn’t the lead, people called his name alongside the lead characters. I remember I was asked if I want to reprise my role in the second season but things didn’t work out. I had other project in hand and wasn’t getting dates.

The show gave me immense popularity. I have been recognised in London for Patiala Babes and I am not kidding, my custom clearance was easy because of Mickey’s character. I am not making this up. I went to London to meet my best friend. I landed at the airport and in the clearance I was asked, ‘You are Mickey from Patiala!’ The recognition is maddening. People loving Mickey in London, is just wow.

I got to work with some great actors. Paridhi Sharma – what an actor! Ashnoor has taught me so much. I have also learnt a lot from Aniruddh. He had his own room but I would spend a lot of time with him. I enjoyed my Patiala Babes journey.

Undoubtedly, I was upset. We had shot for 13-14 episodes which never aired. We had got a hint that our show is going off-air. Right from the crew members to the cast were giving their 100 per cent, were giving their heart and soul in those episodes. It was a little upsetting. We got a random call saying that the show is going off-air in 3 days. But I have found a family in Pavitra Bhagya, who is very close to me now. I am very close to Aneri and Kunal bhaiya.

I would not say I was insecure. I am not a person who gets insecure. I have been taught since childhood that insecurity is a very bad thing. I did have a fear for a short span of time, about what now. With the entire Covid-19 scenario, there was a fear about when will I get my next project. But that was for about a fortnight. And then even that faded away. I believe something or the other will happen. I know I will work word but if things don’t work out I can always go back to Kolkata and handle my dad’s business.

Patiala Babes has been a turning point in my career. I didn’t take up anything for a year for Splitsvilla and was just enjoying the fame. Also, I didn’t understand the logic behind people loving Splitsvilla so much. I haven’t done anything great. It was just a dating reality show. Then I realised, Splitsvilla season 11 will also come and then I will fade away. So I was travelling, doing events and things were going great. And suddenly I got a call for Patiala Babes, saying I have to give an audition on Ranveer Singh’s character Bittoo Sharma. I watched the film twice and then gave an audition… rest is history.

After playing Mickey, I had become like Mickey. Then I got to play Kabir in Pavitra Bhagya. I have always played a stud guy. I have never played a nice guy like a bhoduram. I want to play a nice guy once. I want to do TV, web and music videos. I want to be seen in these spaces.

I was in Kolkata and my friends told me to pursue acting in Mumbai. I convinced my father somehow. He told me to give it a shot and was ready to finance me for a year. I came to Mumbai and was supposed to stay with a friend. But he bailed out on me at the last moment. I was stuck in a PG for 3 months with 12 other people and 1 table fan. I knew I had to get work fast and come out of this and return the money to my dad. I had cut down on expenses, would have veg thalis. But also, I was a party animal and told my dad when I would go to party. There was curfew in our PG and I would then go an sleep by the Versova beach for a few hours. In four months I bagged Splitsvilla and then there has been no looking back.