Story of an Actor's Grit and Ambition

In 2005, I landed my very first assignment: a campaign shoot for TVS Apache, a motorcycle brand. It was a modest start but a significant milestone in my journey. As far back as I can remember, I was a movie enthusiast, the kind who would mimic actors in school to entertain my friends. I loved how laughter filled the room when I stepped into another character. Even then, I was always keenly aware of my appearance and dreamed of being on screen.

The drive to stand out pushed me to become the first student in my school to join a gym. I wanted to not only transform my physique but also inspire my classmates. Experimenting with different hairstyles and fashion choices became second nature. I loved the attention—whether in my neighborhood, at school, or later, in college—even without the power of social media that exists today.

As I grew, so did my ambitions, and I took my first major step toward the entertainment industry by joining a modeling institute in Kolkata. Here, I met like-minded people and began participating in ramp shows, which opened doors to opportunities in print shoots and TV commercials. By 2011, I knew I needed to move to Mumbai, the city where dreams are made, to take an acting course at ICE under Balaji Telefilms.

But the path to stardom wasn’t easy. Coming from a middle-class Brahmin family, I was the first in my family to venture into an unconventional career, which was daunting for my relatives and friends. While many were skeptical, my mother stood by my side, encouraging me every step of the way. She believed in me, sometimes even more than I believed in myself. Her faith kept me going through the countless rejections I faced in auditions, each one a reminder of the uphill climb I had chosen.

Money was tight in Mumbai, and the thought of becoming a gym trainer crossed my mind. Although I had a strong physique, I lacked a certification, and no gym was willing to take the risk. On the toughest days, doubts crept in, making me wonder if success in this industry boiled down to sheer luck. Still, I am a firm believer in God, and my prayers became my anchor, reminding me to keep pushing forward.

Eventually, my efforts began to bear fruit. In 2023, I secured my first major break in a music video, Hayya, for the SVMT channel. The video garnered millions of views, a turning point in my career, followed by two other songs, Tu Hi Mehram and Munda Gunda, also with SVMT. These successes led to an opportunity to be part of an anthology series, Duvvidha, which only solidified my resolve.

The industry has shown me its fair share of hardships and rejections; I’ve been replaced last-minute and overlooked for roles, each time coming back stronger. I’ve learned to turn setbacks into resilience. This industry can be unforgiving, but it’s also where I find purpose.

Today, my aspirations continue to grow. I want to be known as an actor who takes on challenging and unique roles, constantly redefining myself with each character. And someday, I hope to start my own production company, contributing to the world of cinema on my terms.

With each project—from Hayya, Tu Hi Mehram, Munda Gunda, to Duvvidha—and even my upcoming song, Crushing Over Me, I am carving out my place in this industry, hoping to inspire others to keep going, no matter how uncertain the path may seem.