“Playing Baldev has made me even more careful about what I trust online,” says Sudhanshu Pandey on COLORS’ ‘Do Duniya Ek Dil’

COLORS’ ‘Do Duniya Ek Dil’ has already been swiped right by every viewer’s heart since its premiere, drawing audiences into a world where the offline and online realms collide in the most unexpected ways. At the centre of this story is Shivaay (played by Vikram Singh Chauhan), a man who built his dreams on the belief that technology could do good, until a brutal digital scam strips him of everything and leaves him completely distraught. Then there is Aadhya (played by Rachi Sharma), a young social media influencer who has built her whole identity in the online universe. These two could not be more different, and yet love finds a way. The devastating twist in the plot is that Aadhya is the daughter of Baldev Singh (Sudhanshu Pandey), the man who engineered Shivaay’s downfall. In a time where truth is negotiable and trust is just one click away from being shattered, no character sits more dangerously at the heart of it all than Baldev himself. Essaying this pivotal antagonist, Sudhanshu opens up about what it means to play a villain for the digital age.

1. Tell us about the show and where Baldev fits into it.
A. The story of the show explores the offline and the online world that we all try to navigate on a daily basis. Shivaay has walked away from the digital space entirely because a devastating scam destroyed his trust in that world completely. Aadhya, on the other hand, is a social media influencer who thrives in the very ecosystem that broke Shivaay. So, when these two people meet, it is a collision of entire philosophies, of what is real versus what is merely seen, and love happens right at that collision point, which is already complicated enough. But then comes the twist that changes everything, Aadhya is the daughter of Baldev Singh Chauhan, the character I’m essaying. Baldev is responsible for Shivaay’s ruin. Through Baldev, the show is really asking one of the most urgent questions of our time: Do we have the power to undo what the past has done to us? The show stands as one of the biggest efforts by any channel to spark awareness around one of the most dangerous evils shaping our world today. Instead of treating it like a message, the narrative folds the social issue seamlessly into a compelling rishton ki kahani.

2. How does the collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs strengthen the show’s message?
A. COLORS has been a part of people’s homes for years, where families come together and stories become a part of daily life. I feel proud to be associated with a channel that values that trust and continues to share stories with meaningful messages. This collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre is a perfect reflection of that ethos. When audiences watch Shivaay’s world fall apart, I want it to hit close to home, because cyber fraud is not a storyline, it is happening to real people, every single day. My character, Baldev is fictional, but what he represents, the way technology can be weaponised, the way one wrong click or one misplaced OTP can unravel an entire life, that is not fiction at all. This partnership ensures that every time a viewer watches Shivaay’s world collapse on screen, they also carry something valuable back into their own lives, the awareness that this can happen to anyone, and the knowledge of where to turn if it does. Tune in and stay safe. If you or someone you know is ever affected by cybercrime, call 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in.

3. Tell us about your character.
A. Baldev Singh Chauhan is the kind of man who never needs to raise his voice, because he knows exactly how the systems work and, more importantly, how to make this system of scared folks work to his benefit. We are living in Kaliyug, a time where good and evil exist within every human being. The real question is which side we choose to act on. Baldev represents what happens when ambition, greed and power push a person towards their darkest instincts. He is a villain of circumstance. He runs a shadow loan network that preys on ordinary, innocent people who are desperate and have nowhere else to turn, and he keeps them exactly there, bound in debt and silence. But there is also a history that has shaped him. Baldev wasn’t always this way. Life and certain choices slowly changed the man he once was. As the story unfolds, viewers will begin to see the layers of his past and understand what led him down this path, and I think that journey will be very interesting to watch.

4. How did you prepare for your role in ‘Do Duniya Ek Dil’?
A. Honestly, Baldev didn’t require a lot of conventional preparation. I just had to observe. We’ve all met a Baldev at some point – that person who’s charming, supremely confident, and always playing a game no one else even realises is on. Those are often the most colourful characters life throws at you. You can’t choose who crosses your path, but as an actor, every experience becomes material. The difficult people, the manipulative ones, the ones who leave you wondering, ‘Wait, did that just happen?’ – they all go into your memory bank. Baldev is shaped by the experiences he has gone through in life. Exploring those layers and what made him the man he is today was the most exciting part of joining the show.

5. Social media often reflects a fabricated version of reality. Do you think it is changing how people trust each other?
A. To be honest, playing Baldev has made me more mindful about what I trust online. Social media has definitely changed how people approach trust, but I wouldn’t call it entirely negative. It connects people, gives artists a platform, and even helps me stay connected with my fans. At the same time, we have to remember that what we see online is often only a small, idealised slice of reality, usually the good days and the best moments. That’s why the responsibility also lies with us as viewers to be mindful about what we choose to believe. In Do Duniya Ek Dil, this idea plays out through my character Baldev. He understands how powerful perception can be in the digital world and how easily it can shape someone’s reality. And that is exactly what drew me to Baldev. He steals Shivaay’s ability to believe again, in people, in possibility, in starting over. That, to me, is the far more lasting crime. So, while social media itself is not the villain, its impact depends on the viewers.

6. The story is set in Agra, and you’ve spent a good amount of time shooting there. How was that experience for you?
A. Agra is magnificent. There’s no other word for it. It’s like centuries of history sitting right alongside the bustle of everyday life. The streets are alive, the people are warm, the food is extraordinary, and then you turn a corner and there’s this breathtaking monument that has humbled kings. Shooting extensively where the show is based does something to your performance that no set can replicate. There’s an unpredictability to real locations, the light changes, the environment reacts, something unexpected happens and that keeps you completely present. It gives scenes a texture that audiences feel even if they can’t quite name it.

7. Any message to your fans?
A. To everyone who has supported me over the years, I just want to say thank you for always showing up with so much love. With Do Duniya Ek Dil, you are about to step into a story that feels very close to the world we are all living in today. It is about the life we live in reality and the life that unfolds on our screens, and what happens when those two worlds collide in the most personal way possible. My character Baldev Singh plays a crucial role in that collision. His actions don’t just create conflict; they shake the very foundation of the love story between Shivaay and Aadhya. So, while you will see a powerful romance at the centre of the show, you will also see how trust, perception and choices can change lives in the digital age. I hope viewers connect with the story; the emotions and the questions it raises about the world we are all navigating today. Do watch Do Duniya Ek Dil, airing Monday to Friday at 9:00 PM only on COLORS and JioHotstar.

Watch ‘Do Duniya Ek Dil’ airing every Monday – Friday, 9:00 pm only on COLORS and JioHotstar.