Avinash Tiwary reveals that following a major accident, he feared his career would come to an end, but soon, offers started pouring in from big production houses
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 27, 2019)

Laila Majnu (2018) may have had a lukewarm response at the box office but its protagonist, Avinash Tiwary’s performance received rave reviews. The actor, who has his hands full, reveals that being an outsider, he didn’t have films served to him on a silver platter post the accolades he received for Laila Majnu. “For the first four months, I was sitting at home. There were about eleven scripts that came my way which was a novelty for me, and a validation that so many people wanted to work with me but they weren’t the projects that I wanted to do,” he says.

He says that he’s “enjoying this phase a lot now”. Talking about the time when filmmaker Karan Johar approached him for digital anthology film, Ghost Stories, he shares, “I got a call and I was told that Karan wants to work with me in Ghost Stories. I couldn’t believe it because I’m not his kind of actor. I thought Karan wouldn’t even know me. He hasn’t watched Laila Majnu. He told me that he heard of me and had been wanting to work with me but he didn’t know how to reach out to me!”

Avinash reminisces about the time when he feared that his career will come to an end following a major accident. “After Laila Majnu released, I went on a trip along with a few of my friends. I met with an accident there. I fell off the bike and my face was bruised that made me think that my career is over. I was bedridden for a month and a half. With red eyes and a huge scab on my face, I had to go for the look test for ’83,” shares the actor who also reveals being offered a comic caper with a big banner “that didn’t work out”.

Commenting on landing plum projects, he says with a smile, “At the same time, I tested for Bulbul (web show). The casting guys had to put makeup on my face to hide the scar and I got the part somehow. After a while, The Girl On The Train came my way. I had worked with Ribhu (Dasgupta; filmmaker) earlier. He said that there’s not a lot of money but the part is great, and so I did that.”