Since starting his television career with the role of Tyagi on Mahesh Bhatt's Swabhimaan, followed by Farz, Sazish, Kabhi Kabhi and Waris, Ashutosh Rana has done it all, from anchoring a television show, Baazi Kiski, to playing grey roles in films. He gained recognition in Indian cinema after playing a cold-blooded psychopathic killer in his debut film, Dushman.

Today, after more than 30 films in addition to serials in more than a decade in Bollywood, he feels his journey from Swabhimaan through Summer 2007 has made him more mature. "As an actor, life teaches you a lot and makes you more mature with every passing day. If your level of maturity falls with every passing day, it means you should leave the industry. Personally, I have matured a lot, mentally, physically and spiritually, over all these years of my acting career," he says.

Ashutosh is known to be a very intense actor, who speaks chaste Hindi all the time, which he has maintained despite being born and raised in Mumbai. "Hindi is our national language as well as a language of business. I have always believed that if you respect a language, it will respect you back. Similarly, if you spoil a language, it will leave no stone unturned in spoiling you," he says.

As for his performances, he says that roles that require to be enacted in a realistic manner are a challenge for any actor. "But, I do agree with the fact that playing grey roles requires more of an effort. An actor playing a white or black character would be full of confidence, but an actor playing a grey role will have a lot of conflict within himself. That makes it difficult," says the 44-year-old actor.

Ashutosh is busy with a new reality show, Sarkaar Ki Duniya, which will be aired from March 2 on new television channel Real. The show will focus on how common people who have excelled in their respective fields come together on a single platform, having to perform extraordinary tasks in limited time. "Ten boys and eight girls will be taken to an uninhabited island, which does not even have electricity. One contestant will be eliminated every week. The eventual survivor will win Rs1 crore. And, the contestants will have to abide by the rules set down by the Sarkaar," says Ashutosh, who will be the Sarkaar of the island.