Surbhi Chandna: My family thinks Nakuul Mehta and I make a hot jodi

Surbhi Chandna and Nakuul Mehta

She is the yin to his yang. He credits her for being a supportive co-actor, she chides him for being obsessed with his hair. Their banter is lively; their affection, endearing. And it is probably this warm camaraderie that seamlessly translates on-screen. Meet Nakuul Mehta and Surbhi Chandna, the popular jodi of Ishqbaaaz, as they recollect their first meeting, and prove they run a mutual admiration club.

Surbhi Chandna and Nakuul Mehta

Tell us about the first time you met.
Surbhi: We had never worked together before, so I didn't know him at all. We met at the channel office first and had a mock shoot there. My first impression of him was that he was warm. We didn't interact too much, but I remember being tense about working with someone who has been part of a popular show like Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara.
Nakuul: We were rank strangers; we didn't even have any common friends. It's beautiful how we have discovered each other through Ishqbaaaz.

You are the most popular jodi of television. What do you attribute your chemistry to?
N: Despite being strangers in the beginning, we didn't feel any discomfort while shooting. I don't like to work with people I know closely, because it takes away from the novelty you can offer. Initially, we were discovering each other and feeding off one another's energies. Now, we don't think twice before doing a scene. We've reached a level of comfort.

What is the one quality you like about each other?
N: Surbhi is flexible as an actor. She asks valid questions and is open to others' ideas. I wouldn't be able to play my character as convincingly if I couldn't bounce my ideas off her. She is a very supportive co-star.
S: I feel fortunate that I got the opportunity to work opposite him and I have been saying this since day one. He is so warm on the sets. Everyone wants a piece of him.

And is there anything about the other that irritates you?
S: Initially, he was obsessed with his hair (laughs). There were times when we would be shooting a serious scene and he would be fidgeting with his hair. But back then, we weren't as thick, so I couldn't complain to him about it.
N: Before shooting for a crucial sequence, I usually prepare myself and am in a certain zone. But, when she comes on the set, she starts chatting away and that distracts me.

How do you react to your numerous fans rooting for you to be together in real life too?
S: The audience knows that we are only playing characters, and they are obsessed with those characters. We are unlike any on-screen couple. We don't go overboard on social media with pictures. There has always been [an air of] mystery around us.

Do you feel apprehensive before shooting intimate scenes?
N: We sit and discuss these scenes before we shoot. But, while shooting, both of us go with the flow. That says something about our trust for each other. Our romantic scenes are not choreographed; we just react to each other.

What do your families have to say about your bond?
N: My wife [Jankee Parekh] absolutely loves her. She thinks we look great together.
S: My family likes him than they like me. They think we are hot.

View Photos: Gauri Khan, Shweta Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai go glam!