Scores of star-struck youth Monday thronged a restaurant in south Delhi to try their hand at stardom through Balaji Telefilm's audition for its new television serial.

Balaji Telefilms is looking for a candidate to play the lead role of Angad in its forthcoming serial "Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai", which will go on the air Feb 25.

The registration counter, which was later shifted from the reception of the restaurant at South Extension here because of the rush of wannabe actors, stood testimony to the aspirations of the youth, who saw a great opportunity for a break into acting.

Forty-five people, most of them in their early 20s, registered within the first hour for the audition, which began at 10 a.m. and was scheduled to continue late into the evening.

Several candidates were seen rehearsing their dialogue - some wildly gesticulating, some silently learning their lines by heart - nervousness written all over their faces.

"We expect at least 500 candidates, going by the trend in other cities. It is a slow start here thanks to the winter chill," tells Shashank Bhatnagar, executive producer with Balaji Telefilms.

The Mumbai-based Balaji Telefilms is one of the biggest and most successful production houses in the Indian showbiz industry and makes serials in several languages.

It is best known for family-based soaps like "Kyonki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", "Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki" and "Kkusum".

Bhatnagar is in the city to select the right candidate for "Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai", who will be immediately flown to Mumbai for the shoot.

"Any role in a Balaji production is more or less like a dream come true. And this is for the lead role. It can't get better than this," said an anxious Narendra Kumar, one of the candidates.

Kumar, 21, is in his final year of B.Com and has nurtured dreams of making it big in Bollywood since his school days.

Bhatnagar said: "We are looking for someone who is a cross between John Abraham, Salman Khan and the young Sanjay Dutt. We have auditioned 1,300 people in several cities including Mumbai, Pune and Nashik.

"We are desperate as time's running out. We've found the female lead but this is just not happening. It's a unique face that we are looking for - something that fits Angad's moody, brooding and brash character."

Rahul Bhola, 24, a commerce graduate from Delhi College Of Arts And Commerce, said: "Acting is a fire I have stoked in my stomach since childhood. I don't insist on becoming the hero. I am prepared for any good role."

Bhola has already auditioned for Rajesh Mehra's forthcoming movie "Rang De Basanti" and is waiting for the results.

When asked about other career options he had in mind if his acting career did not click, Bhola said philosophically: "Lets see where life takes me. I will take whatever comes my way."