Feelin Alive: Amol Parashar, Cyrus Sahukar to navigate terrains of Manali

Amol Parashar

After winning love for his act in Alankrita Shrivastava's Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020), Amol Parashar dives into the familiar world of non-fiction with Feelin Alive. The Discovery Plus reality series sees Parashar and co-host Cyrus Sahukar navigate the unforgiving terrains of Manali as they go snowboarding at Solang Valley and slacklining at Jagat Sukh, among other adventures. Understandably, the show comes as a respite for the actor-host who, like most of us, has spent the better part of 2020 cooped up at home.

"I did this show because I was curious about the format, and was excited to go to places and do things that I wouldn't have done otherwise. Such shows don't require much pre-shoot prep, but they demand extreme focus and effort during the shoot. You have to think on your feet constantly and find solutions to all the uncertainties that this format throws up regularly. It can get tiring at times, but you can't let it show on camera," says the actor. Finding his way around the tough terrain of Himachal Pradesh was a joyride for Parashar, who shot the series in August. "I love the hills; the terrain gets particularly difficult when it snows, but it also adds to the fun."

On the acting front, one would assume that the love Parashar garnered for Dolly Kitty… has translated into more opportunities, but he has a different take. "You can't always measure benefits tangibly, but the response it got definitely [changed] how people look at me and my work. It gives me satisfaction that I held my own among artistes of such high calibre."