Exclusive - Sagar Parekh shares why Samar from Anupamaa became the most personal role of his career so far: says 'Actors carry emotions home'

Actor Sagar Parekh has earned love and appreciation over the years for choosing strong and varied characters that have helped him stand out on-screen. From intense drama to emotionally layered performances, the actor has slowly built a journey that audiences continue to connect with and admire. Recently, the actor opened up about the one role that personally stayed with him even after the cameras stopped rolling.According to Sagar, Samar from Anupamaa remains the most emotionally special character of his career. Speaking about it, he shared, “Samar is that one role from Anupamaa that will always stay with me emotionally because that obviously changed my life and changed everything in this field for me.”The actor explained that Samar was not just another television character for him. Many scenes demanded deep emotional involvement, especially moments where the character was trying to protect his family while silently struggling himself.“There were scenes where he was protecting his family, breaking down internally, trying to hold the relationships together. Somehow, those emotions stop feeling fictional after a point,” he said.Sagar also spoke about how actors often continue carrying emotions from scenes even after the shoot is over. “One thing people don't realise is that actors sometimes carry emotions home and in their personal lives too. There are scenes where you finish shooting, but mentally you're still living them hours later,” the actor shared.He further revealed that after Samar, another role that affected him deeply was Akash Thakur from Jagriti. While both characters were completely different from each other, they demanded emotional intensity in different ways. “I think that this particular role, Samar, had this effect on me because he was emotionally layered and vulnerable. After Samar, it was Akash Thakur from Jagriti, and that was one completely different role from Samar. They were poles apart,” Sagar explained.The actor admitted that he naturally feels drawn towards characters that are imperfect and emotionally complicated. “I have always been drawn towards characters that have flaws and emotional complexity because I think they feel human to me. I think presenting them in a larger-than-life way is something that attracts me,” he added.Apart from fiction shows, Sagar also recalled his journey on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and shared how the experience changed him personally.“Even during Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, there were performances that became deeply personal because I wasn't just dancing. During the whole journey, I was overcoming fear and self-doubt in front of millions and in front of all the judges who have been legends in their own fields,” he said.Ending on an emotional note, Sagar admitted that the reality show helped him grow not only as an artist but also as a person.“I think that journey changed me as a performer, as a person, and my life is completely different after that show,” the actor concluded.