Amar Upadhyay

Some Lesser Known Facts About Amar Upadhyay

• Amar Upadhyay is an Indian film & television actor and TV producer. He is the first actor who played the character of Mihir Virani in the Hindi TV serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ (2000).

• He was born in Ahmedabad and brought up in Mumbai.

  

• When he was in class 10, he went to a shooting location where an advertisement for a biscuit brand was being shot. Somehow, the model who was supposed to feature in the ad could not make it to the shooting location. Then, the ad film director spotted Amar in the audience and asked him to appear in the ad film. Amar agreed to it, and he received Rs 1000 for it. ^[7]YouTube- Pinkvilla

• Amar then worked as a model in various modelling assignments. He has also walked the ramp in many fashion shows.

  

• One of his photos from his modelling assignments was published in Stardust magazine’s 1994 edition. The veteran Indian actress Jaya Bachchan spotted him in the magazine and offered him a role in the Hindi TV serial ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh.’

• Amar was then offered cameo roles in a few Hindi TV serials like ‘Rajani’ (1994), ‘Saturday Suspense’ (1998), ‘Rishtey’ (2000), and ‘Mehndi Tere Naam Ki’ (2000).

  

• In 2000, he got an offer to play the role of Mihir Virani in the popular Star Plus TV serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.’ Once, Saira Banu who is the wife of the legendary Indian actor Dilip Kumar invited him to their home. During an interview, while remembering that incident, Amar said,
  

  During Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi days, Saira (Banu) mam called me home to meet Dilip ji, as he liked my work. He told me if I carried characters home it would ruin my personal life. I learnt the lesson from a true master.”

  The death episode of Mihir Virani in the TV serial is considered one of the iconic scenes in Hindi TV serials. However, the twist was not appreciated by the audience, and the fans of the TV serial started protesting in front of Balaji Telefilms (makers of the show). Reportedly, Amar used to receive fan mails and letters to reappear in the show. On huge fan request, Balaji Telefilms brought back the character in the TV serial, and it was for the first time in the Hindi TV serials that a character after the death sequence was brought back in the show. Later, Amar quit the TV show and was replaced by the Indian actor Inder Kumar and then Ronit Roy. In an interview, Amar talked about quitting the show. He said,

  When I left Kyunki, it was a hard decision, because I was loaded with so much work. I had three movies in hand and was lead in six projects. I shouldn’t have been so greedy as an actor. Today, I would have stuck to Kyunki and told them to wait. I didn’t sleep properly, which took a toll on my mind and body. I wasn’t able to give time to myself, forget family. Everyone was getting hassled, including my producers, since I couldn’t give them time for shoots. It was a big mess for dates. Some gave me an ultimatum and a few producers would have gone bankrupt if I left mid-way. I created a lot of mess concerning the dates.”

  In the interview, he also cleared that he did not have any tiff with the Indian producer Ekta Kapoor (co-founder of Balaji Telefilms). Amar said,

  The so-called tiff with Ekta Kapoor was exaggerated by the media as she offered me the role of Mihir again after 8-9 months, after Inder Kumar left the show. When he left, she came back to me again. At that time, I was still shooting my films. I was still not ready for that. I thought if I go back again, there will still be date problems. I told her to wait 3-4 months but she was not ready to wait. To show the world that there were no problems between us I did many cameo appearances in Balaji shows. Just to tell the world that we are okay.”

• Amar then appeared in a few other Hindi TV serials like ‘Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand’ (2003), ‘Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai’ (2009), ‘Saath Nibhaana Saathiya’ (2015), ‘Ishqbaaaz’ (2019), and ‘Molkki’ (2020).

  

• He has also appeared in a few Hindi TV shows such as ‘Bigg Boss 5’ (2011) and ‘Welcome – Baazi Mehmaan Nawaazi Ki’ (2013). While he was in Bigg Boss house, his name was linked with his co-contestant Vida Samadzai. While commenting on their relationship in the Bigg Boss, another contestant Akashdeep Saigal (Sky) said,
  

  Jo aadmi (Amar) apni biwi aur bachchon ka nahin ho sakta… yahan par woh Vida (Samadzai) ke saath apne gulchhare uda raha hai… woh aadmi kiska ho sakta hai?… Usse pata nahin ke kaise dikhega woh wahan pe.”

  

• Amar has acted in many Hindi films such as ‘Dahshat’ (2000), ‘Dhund: The Fog’ (2003), and ‘Jodi Kya Banayi Wah Wah Ramji’ (2003). However, the films failed to do well at the box office.

  

• He then appeared in the multi-starrer Hindi film ‘LOC Kargil’ (2003). While he was shooting for the film in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, he received the news of his mother’s demise. In an interview, while remembering that day, he said,
  

  It was a huge shock for me. I had lost the biggest support system of my life. I was completely broken. I had lost 8-10 kgs in 10 days due to depression. I said no to 6-7 films in that 1-2 months phase. I didn’t want to work. It was a very bad phase. My mother was my biggest strength. She supported me completely when everybody was against me, grandfather and others. My mother believed in me, I could do it. I could be an actor, I could grow into a nice actor. Mothers are nice. They always love you.”

  

• Amar has acted in a few Bhojpuri films like ‘Hum Bahubali’ (2008), ‘Tu Babuaa Hamaar’ (2008), and ‘E Rishta Anmol Baa’ (2009).

  

• In 2011, he started ‘Bharti Telecraft,’ a film production company.

• He then acted in a few other Hindi films like ’13B’ (2009), ‘Kaagaz’ (2021), ‘Bob Biswas’ (2021), and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ (2022).

• He is a black belt in Taekwondo.

  

• In an interview, Amar shared that he considered the Indian director Aanand Mahendroo his guru.

• In his leisure time, he loves to travel, watch films, and read books. He has around 1000 books in his library at home.

  

• Amar is an animal lover and owns a pet dog named Oreo.

  

• He is a religious person and has a deep faith in Lord Ganesha.

  

• Amar has been featured on the cover page of a few magazines.