The last you saw of him was in his red-stained white suit and tousled hair at the receiving end of a Valtro pistol. But Akashdeep Saigal alias Ansh Gujral, as you would better know him, is making a comeback. But hold your breath, it?s not in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, but his own home production. Akashdeep plays a double role in a film that has been produced by his brother Kamal Saigal.

From being a sound engineer to a Gladrags supermodel, a film actor and documentary film-maker, a television artist and a state-level former football player to a graduate in Egyptology, the 29-year-old pony-tailed actor has a lot to flaunt in his profile.

After a debut in Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi and Supari, Akashdeep took a plunge into the small screen with the soap Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. In fact, so popular is he as Ansh that children visit his house in Bandra to ask for autograph.

Kamal Saigal, who is four years older than Akash, has taken care of the family business and made life easier for his younger sibling. He joined the business from the seventh standard itself and helped his father out. His father was an advocate counsel and Kamal couldn?t help but follow in his footsteps. He?s now a practising lawyer in the Mumbai High Court. But multi-tasking?s the name of the game. Kamal feels that ?There?s no business like show business?, and is gearing up for the release of his new film.

Akash on Kamal

I?ve grown up seeing my brother as a father figure, so I wouldn?t say that we?re the best of friends. He?s always been very serious and responsible about work, always saving money. I?ve been the opposite ? I could never save.

There?s this special memory I have of Kamal. The year I turned 12, my parents were not at home to celebrate my birthday. I was missing them dreadfully. Kamal got me a cake to make up for their absence. I didn?t think he?d remember, but it was a touching gesture on his part.

During my adolescent years, I wasn?t very comfortable with the idea of sharing my secrets with Kamal. There was a time when I was 16 and went off to Goa with my friends without his knowledge. But at other times, I used to borrow his car and go for parties. Though the deadline used to be 1 am, it would inevitably stretch till 2.30 am.

Kamal used to take care of my studies. When the principal used to ask me to bring my parents to school to meet him, I would always take Kamal along with me. Even for my Boards, he was the one who made sure that I went for tuitions.

At times I have resented him too. When I was in the fifth standard, I had to shift back to Mumbai from Khandala where we siblings were studying. My elder brothers and sisters wanted to shift because education in the Khandala school was only till the twelfth standard. Since we were day scholars, there was no option left for me but to return with them. Initially, I was very antagonistic about the whole idea as I had to leave behind all my close friends and everything that was familiar to me. Kamal slapped me at that time as I was being difficult. But now I take back all those feelings.

There?ve also been moments when I?ve had to bail my brother out of sticky situations like recently when we were partying in Goa. It was a boys? night out and my bhabhi called, upset that he?d not returned home. I bailed him out.

Kamal on Akash

Akash is the youngest in the family of four brothers and four sisters. So he?s the most indulged one and very mischievous as well. From the beginning, I?ve felt very protective towards him and there were times when I was very strict with him. I remember an incident when he was about 18 or 19 when he told me that he was heading to a friend?s place to study. But when I reached there, I found a party going on. I made him sit out for four hours that night. After that, he?s never misbehaved.

Besides that incident, I?ve never liked to impose myself on Akash. And he has never taken advantage of the fact. I understand that nobody is perfect on this earth and I accept it without any reservations.

When he was born, we had taken Akash?s fingerprints, footprints and a lock of his hair, which we look at sometimes very fondly. Especially now that my son, Jash, who is three years old, resembles his uncle very strongly, we often get nostalgic about Akash?s childhood. It?s like taking a trip back in time.

We live as a joint family in our bungalow in Bandra and my wife, Geeta takes care of Akash like she would her own son. He shares a mother-son relationship with her and from his clothes to his appointments, she?s responsible for it all.

Akash is a reserved person with a small group of friends. Seeing him on television gives me a high. I have always thought that he?s been a very dedicated person. When he really wants something, he gives it 120 per cent. Which is what comes out on screen. All our relatives come to me and ask me why Balaji has got Ansh killed in its serial because he was the main attraction. They even say that they?ve stopped tuning into the soap now that Akash is not there.

Only last year we were in Dubai and Akash was mobbed. Even when he goes shopping, it is impossible to choose things because people always surround him. Which goes to show that even though he plays a character with shades of grey in it, he has struck a chord with the people out there.

We have grown up together but for all that we have shared over the years, we have never discussed our personal matters with each other. That is not to say however that I am not proud of him and all that my kid brother has managed to achieve.

Photograph by Gajanan Dudhalkar