2009-10 was most frustrating period in my career: Purab Kohli

New Delhi: Actor Purab Kohli says he could not bank on the success of `Rock On` as many of his crucial films got shelved due to recession in 2009 and 2010. The 34-year-old actor, however, is looking forward to the release of his upcoming film `Jal`, in which he plays the lead role opposite Tannishtha Chatterjee. The movie, directed by Girish Malik, is releasing on March 28. "I started off my career as an actor not wanting to be an actor. There was no plan. I was taking offers as they were coming. The good thing was that people appreciated my performance. But when `Rock On` released, there were many offers for the lead role," Purab told reporters. "But that happened during the recession period, at the end of 2009-10. That was the most frustrating period in my life, I had four films with producers where I was the lead, but they were getting shelved," he added. In the movie, the actor plays `Bakka`, a man, who claims to have a special gift for locating water in the adverse environmental conditions of Rann of Kutch. Purab loved the role, which is quite different from his usual boy-next-door image. "As an actor it is kind of boring to play a particular self all the time. If I feel like the characters are merging, or there is some similarity in them, suddenly my whole energy level drops. I feel like there is nothing new for me to learn or explore," he said. "One tries very hard to play as different characters as possible, which is why `Jal` is very exciting as I have never gone down to this part. This character was very new to me," he added. To prepare for the role of `Bakka`, Purab packed his bags and embarked on a journey to the Rann of Kutch with Girish. "I was quite complexed about doing this role as people perceive me as urban guy, which I am. But then I am an actor as well and I need directors who trust me and my abilities. Girish trusted me for his first film," he said. "I went with Girish to Kutch for ten days. We met with the tribes, and people from the place we were portraying. We hung out with them. I stayed in the jungle and even rode on camels. In between all this I found myself sunk in the role," he added. The release date of `Jal` was shifted many times but Purab says that was done to accommodate festival screenings. "Initially September end, or October beginning of 2013 was set as the release date of the film. However, it got selected for Busan International Film Festival, with condition that it will have its world premiere there. So Girish had to push the release date," he said. "The next slot was in January, but then DAR film distributors came into the picture. They needed some time to prepare for the release," he added. The actor is not discouraged with the constant shifts in the release date. "If its shifting for a pointless reason, then that is frustrating. I have had that also in the past for some of my films. I think every date that Girish has pushed, it has been for a very valid reason. So it was fine," he said.