Dil Juunglee actor Abhilash Thapliyal: From radio to films
Abhilash Thapliyal’s journey to films hasn’t been a hard grind. It was just another day in office for the stand-up comic and former RJ when the acting bug got into him. Now making his debut in Dil Juunglee alongside Taapsee Pannu and Saqib Saleem, Abhilash recalls, “I used to work at Fever 104 FM in Delhi, where actors would come and interact with fans in meet-andgreet sessions.” On one such session with the star cast and the director of Tevar (2014), actor Manoj Bajpayee saw Abhilash’s imitation of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
“Manoj exclaimed, ‘Tu toh actor hai, yahan radio mein kya kar raha hai!’ I thought actor logon ki baat nahin maanni. Mujhe chadha ke chala jayega, par mere career ka kya hoga after I’d resign (I decided not to take it seriously. I’d be left with nothing if I gave up my job),” he recounts.
Abhilash’s doubts were dispelled when director Amit Sharma suggested that he try his luck in Mumbai. “Amit said I was fit for the visual platform and gave me his number. Eight months on, I shifted to Mumbai and called him up. He not only picked up, but remembered me. Conversations started, and he asked me to mail my pictures. The next thing I know, I am being asked if I have my passport ready, because I am flying to London for a film!” shares Abhilash. “I think about how it happened for me without auditioning. I escaped that struggle. People are going crazy to get into films, and I got a good, meaty role,” he adds.
Most actors are wary of starting their career with a supporting role, but Abhilash had no such apprehensions. “I have no expectations about whether I will get work from here on or not. I am okay with whatever comes my way, even television will work, except fiction shows.”
I think about how it all happened for me without auditioning, but luckily, I escaped that struggle. On one side, people are going crazy to get into films, and I got a good, meaty role
ABHILASH THAPLIYAL,
ACTOR