Popular TV actor Swapnil Joshi compares his new serial "Papad Pol - Shahabuddin Rathod Ki Rangeen Duniya" with super hit movie "3 Idiots" and says just like the film, his show will make the audience laugh and cry at the same time.

Swapnil plays the lead role in the serial going live on SAB TV Monday.

"'Papad Pol' is not a sitcom. It is a slice of life show. It might sound very clichéd... but I can relate this show to '3 Idiots' in terms of genre. It will make you laugh one minute and the next moment it will make you cry. At the same time, it will also make you think about small things, about everyday life, just as the film did, " said the 32-year-old.

Swapnil will be seen as a dark-skinned, lovable character called Vinaychand, a school dropout in the show, based on Gujarati humorist and stand-up comedian Shahabuddin Rathod's stories.

He had to apply dark colour on his face, ears, neck and hands to look like his character.

"We were trying to create a look for three months and must have tried at least 50 odd looks. The producers wanted me to look real - dark, but not fake. It was important that Vinaychand looks like an everyday guy. So we have maintained the innocence in his eyes and have kept the smile very much intact, " said the actor, who was here to promote the show.

"He is a very endearing person. He is dark, but he is not ugly to look at. And then he is such a good-hearted person that whatever are his shortcomings, he removes it with his goodness. I love the look and this is what was required for the character, " he added.

Swapnil finds the role challenging as he had to get rid of his usual look to fit into the role of Vinaychand.

"This show is very challenging for me. Every actor's USP is his identity. People know that Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan or Salman or TV actors like Smriti Irani and Ronit Roy look a certain way. But for this role, I have erased my identity - whatever identity I had, which I earned by working hard for the past 15-20 years, I have erased that.

"I have started out to create a fresh identity with this role. So as an actor, this is a big challenge for me. We build a career to build an identity. But now when I have the identity, I have to keep it aside, " said Swapnil.

The actor, who has done shows like "Shri Krishna", "Amanat", "Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand", "Hadh Kar Di" and "Comedy Circus", says he always believed in doing out-of-the-box roles.

"If something different and out-of-the-box comes my way, I will always do it. I have never feared any get up - be it in 'Comedy Circus' or in any other show. I have no inhibition in being a dark complexioned character.

"Actors today fear showing grey hair on screen, so they colour it and then use whiteners, but I have no inhibitions. As long as I can entertain audiences, as long as I can bring a smile to their face, and as long as I can believe that the story we are telling is very entertaining, I can become anybody."