Seeing oneself on the big screen is a feeling like no other. The last time Avinash Tiwary experienced it was in Laila Majnu (2018). It has taken him six years to replicate that feeling. But the wait has been worth it as his latest film, Madgaon Express, is being lapped up by the audience for its humour.

“When you are aspiring to be an actor, you only see yourself on the big screen. The fact that I got this opportunity six years down the line and it has been so well-received makes me so happy. I have got a lot of love and respect for my work, but the joy that people walked out with is something I’ve never experienced in my career,” smiles the actor.

In Kunal Kemmu’s directorial debut, Tiwary joins Divyenndu and Pratik Gandhi to tell the story of three friends whose dream trip to Goa becomes a nightmare. Comedy can be a tricky genre, but the actor says the entire team rallied behind Kemmu’s vision.

“When we did a narration session with Kunal, we fell off our chairs. But I also thought that Kunal is such a good performer that he can make any material funny. So, I insisted on reading the script. I was laughing even while reading it. That made me believe in the film’s potential. While we were performing, we weren’t sure if the jokes were landing or not. But we relied on Kunal, who had such clarity.”

Tiwary’s filmography has been populated with intense offerings like Bulbbul (2020), Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022) and Bambai Meri Jaan (2023). The out-and-out comedy felt liberating, he admits. 

“My idea has been to do different kinds of genres. I was happy that Kunal and Ritesh [Sidhwani, producer] were able to see my versatility and present me an opportunity where I could go and enjoy myself. It was liberating to do this. Until Madgaon Express happened, I was doing shows that needed me to breathe those characters every day. With Madgaon Express, my character was closer to how I am in real life. It’s always the case—people who do intense parts are considered serious actors. I haven’t cared much about labels because nobody wanted to put even the label of an actor on me. But I’ve been acting for so many years. Now, I want to do more light-hearted films.”