'Being An Outsider Has Its Struggles. You Don’t Just Get Opportunities. Insiders Often Receive Offers By Default': Abhilash Thapliyal | FPJ Exclusive

Radio jockey-turned actor Abhilash Thapliyal, in an exclusive conversation with the Free Press Journal, speaks about his journey from radio to acting, how life changed after Aspirants, and much more. Aspirants Season 3 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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1) From being an RJ to becoming a full-time actor, was this always part of the plan, or was there a moment when you realised you wanted to pursue acting?

No, I never wanted to be an actor. My whole objective in coming to Mumbai was that I wanted to be a part of The Kapil Sharma Show. That’s why I came to Mumbai. But it just so happened that The Kapil Sharma Show didn’t work out; instead, I started doing a lot of television shows like Comedy Circus and Entertainment Ki Raat. Eventually, Aspirants happened in 2021, and that’s when acting began.

Although I had already worked on a film with Taapsee Pannu and Saqib Saleem called Dil Juunglee, which didn’t do well, I then completely moved into the television non-fiction space. Acting was never part of the plan; I just wanted to play fun, light-hearted characters. It happened by default.

Eventually, I met directors who are considered ‘dream directors’ for any actor, Anurag Kashyap, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Navdeep Singh, Amit Sharma, and Ajay Bahl. It’s just my luck that they came into my life. In fact, Amit Sharma, the director of Badhaai Ho, Tevar, and Maidaan, was the one who pushed me to come to Mumbai. At the time, I was a radio jockey in Delhi.

2) Is radio still as happening as it used to be when you joined?

We have already experienced the peak of radio. I think post-Covid, every medium, be it films, television, or radio, has changed. Even newspapers, for that matter, in terms of circulation and perception.

There is a huge difference in how they are perceived and consumed now. Regarding radio consumption, I see that stations run 40 to 45 minutes of advertisements, and the objective has completely changed. Also, there are so many apps now, YouTube, Gaana, JioSaavn, Apple Music, and people consume music there.

Unlike the West, we don’t have the same data cost issues. There, people tune into radio because data can be expensive, but that is not the case here. Primarily because stations play so many advertisements, you neither get to listen to songs nor to the radio jockey. So yes, it is clearly losing its grip and impact, whether in metros or Tier-2 towns.

3) When you first decided to quit your job as an RJ, were you worried?

I actually became an established actor and then decided to quit. It was not that I was venturing into acting to try my luck. I had already done two seasons of Aspirants, SK Sir Ki Class, and Maidaan had been released. I had played the antagonist opposite Taapsee Pannu in Blurr, worked with Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari on Faadu, appeared in Paatal Lok with Navdeep Singh, and worked with Aanand L. Rai on Raksha Bandhan.

So, I had already done a lot before deciding to quit radio. It was not like I suddenly thought, “Okay, now I’ll do acting, so let me leave radio.” While working on all these projects, be it Aspirants, Blurr, Faadu, or Raksha Bandhan, I continued my radio show every day without fail. No matter where I was, I managed both. Eventually, I felt it was time to focus fully on acting.

4) As an outsider, did you ever feel overlooked or out of place at industry gatherings and parties?

There was a very interesting moment when a senior met me at an award function after Aspirants. I was being honoured there, and he asked me, “What has changed after Aspirants?” I said, “I think now I belong to these people, like I am one of them.”

Before that, you don’t feel that way. You go through a phase where you need to prove it, not to the world, but to yourself, that you are an actor. Many people say, “I act,” but when asked what they’ve done, the answer is nothing.

You don’t see that in other professions. No one says they are an engineer without studying engineering, or a doctor without training. But in acting, anyone can say it. For me, that conviction came only after Aspirants. Before that, it didn’t.

Being an outsider has its struggles. You don’t just get opportunities. Insiders often receive offers by default, if you are a son, nephew, or niece, projects come to you. We have no such connections, and no one builds them for us. That is our reality.

5) What kind of character is on your wish list?

A wish list is for those who have plenty of options. We choose from what we get. After Aspirants, I was clear that I wouldn’t play anything similar to SK’s role. That’s why I played a drunkard and an addict in Faadu, a ghost in Kennedy, and a psycho-killer in Blurr opposite Taapsee.

Since you choose from available options, there isn’t really a wish list. However, I would love to do comedy now. I feel I am a fun person, and I want to explore that. Having mostly played serious or dark roles, I now want to ease up and have fun with my characters.

6) What was your process for developing your character, SK, in Aspirants?

It was based on references, as I studied at Delhi University. I knew many UPSC aspirants from Bihar who had adapted to Delhi but were somewhere in between culturally.

With my director, Apoorv Singh Karki, we worked on how SK would speak and move. Since there are two timelines, the student years and the professor years, we showed the physical shift using a three-kilogram paunch.

Although I have a six-pack, the team created a paunch for me, and I used it to understand how his body language would change. I consider myself a director’s actor and rely heavily on my directors.

Typically, Bihari characters have a set way of speaking, but SK has lived in Delhi long enough to reflect both influences. We found a middle ground, for instance, he might say “Abhilas” instead of “Abhilash,” while still understanding the language perfectly.

7) When fame came your way, what changed?

The first thing I noticed was the rise in Instagram numbers. But I realised there is no limit to that. Apart from that, the struggles remain the same. You are still chasing producers, directors, and casting directors, meeting people, and looking for meaningful work.

What has changed is self-confidence. There is a sense of assurance now, that people have seen my work. But otherwise, not much changes. You still can’t demand huge fees or make the kind of demands more established actors can.

8) How did you approach your role in Kennedy?

When it comes to Anurag Kashyap, whether it is Gangs of Wasseypur, Ugly, Dev.D, Kennedy, or Black Friday, it is never an actor’s film, it is an Anurag Kashyap film. Kennedy is no exception.

I was shooting for Blurr in Nainital when I received a call from him. He said, “I’m sending you a script. Read it, and if you feel like doing it, I’d like to offer you a part.” I read it, liked it, and of course I wanted to work with him.

When I asked why he chose me, he said no one else came to mind while writing it. That was a huge compliment. As the shoot approached, we discussed the character in detail.

My character represents Kennedy’s inner voice. Whatever thoughts are in Kennedy’s head, my character expresses them. During the screen test, I tried something very different, but Anurag Sir told me, “Just be yourself.”

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He even scolded me for talking too much to Rahul Bhat while he was in character. My role is that of a ghost, a mirror to Kennedy’s emotions. As always, I followed his direction completely. I didn’t impose my craft, I trusted his vision.

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