Actor Ram Yashvardhan, widely recognized for his powerful portrayal of Lord Shiva in the mythological drama series Shiv Shakti – Tap Tyaag Tandav, has been cast to portray the iconic role of Duryodhana in the upcoming mythological drama Agyaatwas.Apart from his breakthrough in mythological roles, Yashvardhan has starred in television shows like Ek Thi Rani Ek Tha Ravan, Choti Sarrdaarni and Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul. He also appeared in the 2012 film Uday.Getting candid about his transition from playing the most positive character in the universe to one of its most complex antagonists, the actor says he doesn’t differentiate between roles.“I don’t differentiate between positive and negative roles. For me, it’s about the belief and conviction in the character. I don’t have this mindset that I only want to play the hero. Before playing the character of Lord Shiva, I had played negative, comedy, action varities of roles many times. So even now, for my next show, I have taken on the role of Duryodhana, and I hope I can do justice to it,” he said.Talking about the demands of mythological shows, Yashvardhan added, “There is nothing like having to motivate yourself, because when you love your job and what you are doing, no matter how many hours you put in, it never feels like work.”“Yes, television is very demanding with long hours. In a show like a mythological drama, getting ready takes a different kind of time and effort. Wearing a costume that weighs six to seven kilos does become physically challenging at times. But at that time, we knew we had to be on television every single night, and that itself became a big motivation,” he shared.He further said, “Otherwise, there are some normal roles which are not so demanding, so it’s not that difficult. The waiting becomes a problem only when you are waiting for a scene to get over and you are sitting in that heavy costume. Otherwise, it’s manageable.”Recalling his journey, the actor said, “My career started with negative roles. I played a villain many times, and I also played Kans and Ravana onscreen, which was praised and loved by the audience. Then I got the opportunity to become Lord Shiva. I took on the character of Lord Shiva, and for two and a half years, I played the most positive character in the entire universe. When that show ended, I took a good five to six months break. After coming back, I was in talks for a negative role with people I wouldn’t just call casting directors – they are close friends. And I took that opportunity.”Yashvardhan is known for featuring in shows like Jai Hanumaan Sankat Mochan Naam Tiharo, Yashomati Maiyaa Ke Nandlala, Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram, Paapnaashini Ganga, Jag Jaanani Maa Vaishnodevi and Baal Shiv.