Showing posts with label Amol Parashar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amol Parashar. Show all posts
If any of my films were released on the big screen, I might have had a stamp of approval-Amol Parashar
9:18 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 20, 2026)
As actor Amol Parashar basks in the success of the recently released Gram Chikitsalay season 2, he opens up about his journey, audience connect and the noise that comes with fame.
“I have done a lot of work in the last 10 years, bas wo phatne wala jo project hai, wo Tripling (web series) ke baad ye hua hai,” says the actor who gained popularity as Tripling’s Chitvan.
While Dr Sinha’s character is soft and sensitive, we ask the 39-year-old whether, in an era dominated by hypermasculine protagonists, seeing such a character resonate with audiences feels like a validation? He responds: “As long as the audience is enjoying the work, they don’t care if it is a soft or hypermasculine protagonist. Something might become a trend, but that is also with only the makers. They just want to enjoy and have fun.”
While his stint on OTT has been quite successful, Amol hasn’t had much luck in films. He got appreciation as Bhagat Singh in Sardar Udham (2021), but he hasn’t had a big screen project yet, and he blames the Covid-19 pandemic for it.
“If any of my films were released on the big screen, I might have had a stamp of approval, but it didn’t happen,” he says, adding, “I don’t want to do a film for the sake of it. I would rather wait.”
The actor, who has been romantically linked with actor-filmmaker Konkona Sen Sharma, also reflects on the downside of fame and the rumours that come with it.
“This is part and parcel of being an actor. People have interest in our lives and they love coming up with conspiracy theories about us,” he says, adding, “Initially, I used to get angry and frustrated, but now I put my faith in intelligent people. I don’t get bothered until it’s distasteful.”
Amol Parashar on Gram Chikitsalay being compared to Panchayat: "We have found our own standing"
9:48 AM
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; July 14, 2026)
Why does Amol Parashar seamlessly blend with Dr Prabhat, his character from Gram Chikitsalay? Because they both seem grounded and refreshingly honest. He is deeply connected to his roots, and finding joy in the little things is another reason why they seem similar. As the Prime Video series returns with its second season, the actor talks to mid-day about finding the show’s own identity beyond inevitable comparisons with Panchayat, why stories about good people still matter, and stepping out of Chitvan’s long shadow. Excerpts from the interview.
Your character, Dr Prabhat, experiences a culture shock moving to a rural set-up. Was it a culture shock for you as an actor?
Not as much. For the sake of the storytelling, we’ve shown him as someone who has never stepped inside a village. But that’s not the case with me in real life. I have relatives who live in rural areas. My grandmother used to live in a village and we would often go there during the summer holidays. My uncle still lives in a village on the Jaipur highway. While I am unable to go there as often now, I was there recently for a wedding.
The show tackles corruption, poor medical infrastructure, and systemic inefficiencies. How much of that was new information for you?
None of these things are industry-specific. We all know the inefficiencies of our system. Some of us choose to look at it and call it for what it is. Some choose to look away and pretend that everything is perfect. But deep down, we all know it is not. I also believe there is a lot of scope for improvement. That’s why people relate to the story. I don’t think anyone in the audience will ask, ‘Ghoos kya hota hai?’
The rural setting invites comparisons with Panchayat. How did you ensure Dr Prabhat felt like a different character?
This is something we were aware might happen, more for the show than for us as actors because everyone has their own style and personality. I believe there is a difference at the character level. While both stories begin with a city boy arriving in a village, their motivations are different. Dr Prabhat has chosen to be there, while Jeetu’s [Jitendra Kumar’s] character wants to leave. So I wasn’t worried about comparisons. By season two, we have found our own standing.
After the first season, several medical professionals reached out to you. Did any of those conversations influence the performance in season two?
No, I don’t remember that. What made me happy was receiving messages from people facing the choice between bending to the system or sticking to their values, who were inspired by the story. Everybody knows it’s a fictional character. But it gives you a lens of what is possible. [Besides entertainment], stories are also supposed to imbibe values in society. Over time, we have stopped telling stories of just plain good people because it was considered boring. Gram Chikitsalay is an example that a story about an aspirational protagonist can still be entertaining.
For years, people associated you with Chitvan from Tripling. Has that changed now?
I think some people, not many, are probably discovering Chitvan through Prabhat. Most people know Tripling or Chitvan, or at least know the song even if they haven’t seen the show. Some people are saying they like Prabhat more, while others still prefer Chitvan. But the perception is shifting. As a character, and as a show, there is no longer the shadow of a previous role. There is also a niche audience that remembers me as Bhagat Singh from Sardar Udham (2021).
Back to the stage
After nearly a decade away from theatre, Amol Parashar returned to it with the play, ‘Besharam Aadmi’. “It had been around eight to nine years. The whole story started from the stage, after I left my job. I used to miss it. I just didn’t know how to make it happen. With film and series schedules making ensemble theatre difficult, the only way to do it is to create a one-man show. I feel your instinct gets trained by direct and unfiltered feedback. It is a nice way to connect and have conversations with people after the show.”
The Bureaucrat is different from 12th Fail or Aspirants-Amol Parashar
9:11 AM
Amol Parashar on finding intrigue in playing a morally grey civil service officer in ‘The Bureaucrat’
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; March 22, 2026)
It takes years to move from paper to screen. For Amol Parashar’s The Bureaucrat, the wait from first hearing the script to going on floors stretched to about two years. “A filmmaker friend, who had read the story, suggested I do the show. He introduced me to Abhishek [Dhandharia, producer], but logistical issues kept delaying it,” shares the actor. Dhandharia reconnected with him six months ago when it was finally greenlit.
The idea of a civil services aspirant-turned-conman was too tempting for Parashar. “Shiddat se likhi hui cheezein, thode kam aate hain,” smiles the actor, adding that the pieces of the story fit well on paper, which got him “excited about the character.”
Aware that there is no dearth of stories centred around the UPSC — Aspirants, now in its third season, and Vikrant Massey’s 12th Fail (2023) — Parashar is confident his show stands apart, as it uses civil services only as a backdrop.
“UPSC [Union Public Service Commission] is a big part of our culture. The Bureaucrat is different from 12th Fail or Aspirants. Although the backdrop is UPSC, the texture, genre, and flow of events is fresh. It’s more of a conman story,” he says, adding that the shoot will wrap up in 20 days.
On ‘Gram Chikitsalay 2’
Amol Parashar confirms he wrapped up ‘Gram Chikitsalay 2’ before starting work on ‘The Bureaucrat’. “We shot in Madhya Pradesh this time. For season one, we shot in Chhattisgarh. We have onboarded a new director.”
Amol Parashar on dating rumours with Konkona Sen Sharma: "Naming every relation is not necessary"
9:42 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 9, 2025)
Actors Konkona Sen Sharma, 45, and Amol Parashar, 38, are rumoured to be in a relationship. And what added fuel to the fire was their first public appearance together at the screening of Amol’s web series. Addressing the speculation for the first time,
Amol tells us, “Nobody asked me. Instead, everyone started bringing their assumptions to the table. Earlier, I would react to every news, but now I have learnt to just move on. Agar kuch hoga aur mujhe share karna hoga, toh I will share it on social media myself.”
The actor adds: “See, you have people in life. Kisi se aap close hote hain, aur kisi se aap zyaada close hote hain. Naming every relation is not necessary... Aap khush, samne waala khush aur gharwale khush, that’s it!”
Amol recalls a similar situation with his Sardar Udham (2021) co-actor Vicky Kaushal, who was dating actor Katrina Kaif while shooting for the film and got married to her in December 2021. “I remember something similar happening with Vicky, and I was like: ‘Bhai, bata do sabko because people are asking me’. And he was like: ‘I will, at the right time’,” Amol explains.
While he is content with his career trajectory, he’s amused how his personal life has earned him more attention: “Logon ko mazaa aa raha hai. Aap karlo kitni bhi acting, views link-up news ko hi milte hain.”
Prod him for his views on marriage, and Amol says his mum would pressure him initially, but not anymore: “Kuch bhi ho sakta hai. I love surprising myself, and my family knows that. Agar shaadi hogi, toh I, too, will post it on Insta (laughs), as that’s what matters to everyone. But as of now, I have nothing to talk about.”
I was buying coffee in Bangkok when I felt the tremors-Amol Parashar
8:37 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 9, 2025)
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar (Burma) on March 28, the tremors of which were also felt in Thailand. The countries are still reeling from the devastation after the catastrophe. Amol Parashar, who was in Thailand during the earthquake, shares his experience with us.
“My friends and I were on a short trip to Thailand (March 27-29). We had just landed in Bangkok, and I was buying myself a coffee when I felt the tremors. I thought maybe my head was spinning. I turned to my friend, who said, ‘I think my head is spinning’. At that moment, I knew it was something else. I looked down, and the ground beneath us seemed to be shaking, and the objects in the shop were moving. We ran out of the shop immediately and moved to a common area. By then, many people had realized it was an earthquake,” he says.
‘Metro lines shut down and offices and shops closed down’
The Sardar Udham actor adds, “By the time we got into the car to go to our hotel, more information about the scale of the earthquake had started pouring in. Metro lines had shut down, and offices and shops closed down, and the whole city turned into a huge traffic jam. It took us five gruelling hours to reach our hotel.”
‘Despite the calamity, the locals remained calm’
What struck Amol the most was the civic sense among locals. “It was heartening to see that despite such a calamity, the locals displayed civic sense and remained calm. Even in the traffic, cars stuck to their lanes, people gave space to each other to walk around, and no one was breaking rules, shouting, honking or fighting. When we stepped out for dinner, the city was back in its groove, though a little emptier than expected. We are back in Mumbai, and we are relieved that we didn’t face any disastrous situation.”
I have been wanting to hold a gun, shout some expletives-Amol Parashar
3:27 PM
After a slew of comedies and feel-good stories, Amol Parashar shifts gears to an intense inheritance drama co-starring Nimrat Kaur
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 4, 2025)
Amol Parashar was harbouring a wish for long. He wanted to wield a gun in front of the camera. Oddly, directors could not imagine the actor, who has shown his prowess in comedy with Tripling, Cash (2021) and Sweet Dreams, in such roles—until now. Parashar will soon be seen in an inheritance drama, which co-stars Nimrat Kaur and is directed by Sahir Raza, who previously helmed Illegal—Justice Out of Order.
Naturally, the actor is excited to portray an intense role after starring in a slew of feel-good stories. “It is an inheritance drama, a genre I haven’t done yet. I have been wanting to hold a gun, shout some expletives, kill someone or get killed. I was not getting any of those roles for some reason, until this,” he says of the yet-untitled series.
The show, shot over three months, was wrapped up last May. Parashar adds, “It’s the darkest story I’ve ever been a part of. I am playing such a maniac that it was liberating as an actor.”
Eager to shed the boy-next-door image, he credits Ektaa R Kapoor for imagining him in a different role when no one else did. “After Tripling, everyone said I was too urban. That’s when Ektaa approached me for Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare [2020], where I played a small-town boy,” says the actor, who also has Gram Chikitsalaya and Nausikhiye lined up.
I would be excited to be a part of a psychological thriller or play a negative role-Mithila Palkar
8:26 AM
After her latest romcom Sweet Dreams, Mithila Palkar says that love stories need to adapt according to the next generation
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 4, 2025)
Internet’s favourite girl-next-door, Mithila Palkar, wants to take a detour now. Having created a niche for herself with slice-of-life and romantic stories like Girl in The City (2016), Little Things (2016-21) and Karwaan (2018), Palkar now wants to play characters far removed from herself. In an interview with mid day, the actor, currently seen in Disney+ Hotstar rom-com Sweet Dreams, shares her aspirations for the next stage of her career that include playing antagonists, and why she believes that love stories need to be reimagined for the GenZ audience.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
What kind of prep is required for a film that is driven more by the charm of its actors than the story?
I stick to both the director and the writer’s vision, which in the case of Sweet Dreams was Victor [Mukherjee] himself. Having him take me and Amol [Parashar, co-star] through what inspired him to write the story and why he imagined us in these parts, I fed off from that. That’s what I usually do for slice-of-life stories.
After completing over a decade in the industry, what are you most hungry for?
I want to see myself play different roles from what I am. All the girls I have played so far are different shades of me, but I would be excited to be a part of a psychological thriller or play a negative role. I remember when I watched Killing Eve, I was so inspired by that show, I felt this is what I wanted to do.
Have you found it difficult to break the trap that the audience’s expectations can create?
I do appreciate the love that I have received through Little Things. I am grateful to that show. I always say that I don’t think a show like this will ever happen for me again because all of us on the show were just starting out. We all began from ground zero and that show took us to another level. Now whatever we will do next will begin from here. Which is why the show will always be special. We are obviously not going to start from ground level now.
It’s also about comfort, both for the audience and the actor. Some people can get stuck in it [same character type] because they know the audience will love them like that because of which even the makers start envisioning you similarly. In that context, I was surprised by the kind of projects that eventually came my way [after Little Things]. I do deserve to do other things, I do deserve to be seen differently, but unless the makers dare to dream, I can’t do much. Or then, I’ll have to produce something myself. But I am too new on the scene to try that. But I am grateful to all the writers and directors, who offered me different [roles] because stereotyping happens. There’s no escaping it. You have seen Little Things so many times that you think Mithila is Kavya and that’s what you want to see again and again. But unless you show something different to the audience, how will they know that you can be something else too?
You have headlined a few popular romances, Sweet Dreams being the latest one. But a dearth of love stories is felt on the big screen as well as OTT. Why do you think there’s a gap?
Youngsters should write young stories. Romance on paper has to change according to how it’s changing with generations. Even though millennials and GenZ are just a generation apart, we think differently from each other. I feel this about myself. I want to sit with a GenZ person and understand their ways. I feel that many times, I sit on a high horse like the generation before us did and say, ‘Humare zamane mein aisa hota tha.’ But that’s not how it works. You won’t be accepted by the audience if they can’t relate to you. I feel we should keep experimenting as artistes because the audience is intelligent and adaptive in a sense that they will want to see different things if you offer them something different. So, even for romance, there’s no point reiterating what we have seen. It’s nice to have a fresh perspective. To revisit films we watched 20 years ago is going back to your comfort zone.
I understand why stars are preferred on OTT at times-Amol Parashar
4:13 PM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 2, 2023)
Of late, there has been a lot of chatter around star culture taking over OTT, a medium that would only value talent earlier. Ask Amol Parashar, who featured in web projects such as Tripling and Pitchers, about it, and he says, “Yeh hota hai (stars being preferred). I agree that stardom doesn’t necessarily mean talent, but it doesn’t always mean money either. At the end of the day, it is a business of content.”
He adds, “The person working in these platforms is answerable ki kitna paisa banaya tumne. Sometimes, when there’s Rs. 5 crore or Rs. 50 crore riding on a project, what would one prefer — a new person whose work has been praised by four people or an older actor with more fans and Insta following? So, I understand why someone goes with that [and prefers stars].”
But the 37-year-old, who has also explored Bollywood including the 2021 film Sardar Udham, goes on to give examples of people who take a chance on newer people: “You have to be sure when you decide, ‘Main toh yahi karunga’. Like Arunabh Kumar (producer-director). I know there are people like that in the system. Sometimes they are in a position of power, but sometimes their view point is not considered. The platform would rather go with an established name and say, ‘Theek hai, acting karwa lenge, ho jaayegi’.”
Is there no gender-based pay parity on TV and OTT? Celebs speak up
8:23 AM
In an earlier interview, actor Raveena Tandon made heads turn with her statement that female protagonists get paid more in the TV industry, and even OTT is slowly catching up. Navya Kharbanda speaks to some prominent names from the small screen and digital medium to weigh in on the issue of pay disparity and share their experiences
Navya Kharbanda (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 14, 2023)
Amit Sadh
The television industry has provided fertile ground for female protagonists to shine and to be the centre of the show. TV has given them a chance to get the same respect and recognition as their male counterparts. In fact, I agree that OTT platforms have also disrupted the traditional power dynamics of the Indian film industry. There is no doubt that we’ll be creating a level playing field for women to showcase their talent and creativity.
Karan Tacker
In television, whoever is the lead of the show gets paid more. Whoever brings in the most viewership for the show will be paid in accordance with that; it doesn’t matter what their gender is. I look at it in terms of, ‘Who’s running the show?’ I’ve never been in a situation where someone got paid more than me or when I’ve been paid more than someone. In the projects that I’ve been involved in, pretty much everyone gets paid according to what they bring to the table and they seem to be happy about it.
Nakuul Mehta
The TV industry is primarily a medium where actors, producers, directors and almost every artiste are women. If not more, female protagonists do get paid equally as their male counterparts. In a time when pay disparity has existed in mainstream cinema for years, the television industry is definitely paving the way for women to be equally valued and paid for their hard work. Time has surely taken a reverse turn, as women are far more valued now and are being paid better than they were earlier.
Erica Fernandes
The TV and OTT industries have been game-changers for female artistes. In most cases, female actors on TV get paid equally or more than men. This is a positive step towards gender equality in the entertainment industry, as it shows that women are valued for their work and talent. However, it is also important to remember that sometimes people are paid according to their experience and worth. It is not always a reflection of how hard one person has worked compared to the other. This is not the case for everyone and pay inequality is still a major issue in many industries. It is important to recognise and address this problem if we want to create a more equitable society.
Aahana Kumra
I don’t think that female protagonists get paid more or equally in the OTT industry. Maybe it happened with Raveena Tandon (who starred in the web show Aranyak) because she’s already a Bollywood star. People also get different treatment because of their background. When you come from a mainstream cinema background, you come with the mindset that, ‘Oh, I’m already a star in Hindi films, and I’m moving to OTT, so I should get a higher pay’. I don’t think that happens with other actors; in fact, I don’t think I get equal pay.
Divyenndu
In television, now and always, especially since the whole Ekta Kapoor era started, women have been at the forefront. Since then, they’ve been getting paid more because they play the leading roles. It’s a commercial business and at the end of the day, whoever is in the driver’s seat will get paid more. Gender isn’t really the deciding factor here. Whoever can attract more viewers will have a higher price. It is a very clear business principle: whoever controls the market will control the price.
Maanvi Gagroo
I don’t think female leads are paid equally or more than their male counterparts in the OTT industry, unless the woman is a significantly bigger star. The pay disparity scenario has changed from what it used to be 10 years ago. However, I don’t think there’s been a blanket change across the industry. Also, it differs from one project to another. There are times when I get paid more, and sometimes my co-actors are paid more. And the inequality is not just about the actor’s fee but also things like hotel, vanity van, flight, etc. that again vary for different actors.
Ridhi Dogra
In this profession, no project will be similar to another because of the people attached to it. I’ve experienced the difference in storytelling, as we see a lot of stories being told about women in OTT. The characters for women on TV and OTT are quite empowering. But in terms of pay parity, I do feel that OTT still has a long way to go. With TV, it is definitely true that women are paid equally or even more than their male counterparts. I’ve worked on both mediums, so I can speak for both industries. If you’re headlining a project and you’re the biggest star, then you will automatically be paid more. And talent is, unfortunately, not respected as much in our industry as marketing is.
Kavita Kaushik
It’s true that women are paid equally or more in the TV industry and I’m sure of it because I started my career on the small screen. I don’t think, unless I was a star kid, I would have been given a role like Chandramukhi Chautala in movies. I was paid a bomb during my tenure on (TV show) FIR. In fact, I think I was the highest-paid actor on TV at that time. In films, less performance-oriented roles are given to women. However, in my 20 years of career, I’ve seen that women are always considered important script-wise on television. I’ve never done any mainstream Hindi films, and whenever something was offered to me, the payment used to be peanuts, like almost no money.
Amol Parashar
In showbiz, there is no fixed pay scale or grade. An actor’s fee is negotiated based on the value they bring to a project through their skills and brand value. As much as we’d like to believe that it should be based more on the former, it’s mostly the latter — the belief that a certain person will bring in audiences and more eyeballs to the project. If my co-star is more famous than me (according to the producers), they’ll definitely be paid more, and vice versa. Since this value is subjective, it’s prone to biases and inaccuracies. No two actors will be paid equally in a project, irrespective of gender, unless they negotiate together, which is a rare occurrence. That is how this business works.
I don't get when actors roaming around in a luxury car, shop in London, and say, ‘I need money’-Amol Parashar
8:47 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 19, 2023)
More than quantity, the quality of work drives Amol Parashar. The actor states, “I know what I bring to the table. I am never like apna kaam karke chala jaaunga.” The Tripling and Sardar Udham (2021) actor adds, “Sometimes, I want to do certain kinds of projects. I would also like to take some credit for maintaining quality. At times, paise ka laalach chodhna padta hai. But it is not like I let go of money and say, ‘Kaam chahiye bas’. That’s not who I am. I enjoy the business too.”
Though, as an outsider, on occasion, actors don’t have a choice and might end up picking projects for money. Parashar says he knows how to not compromise on work for money and still manage to have a decent lifestyle.
“I did a project 10 years ago, which I wouldn’t have done if I had better choices back then. But, if you (referring to actors who complain about less pay) are roaming around in a luxury car, shopping in London, and say, ‘I need money’, I don’t get that. Aapne apna lifestyle waisa banaya, so you want that money. Mine has been smooth so far as I don’t desire a lot of materialistic things. I just bought a house for my parents, it was quite an emotional moment,” he ends.
Filmmakers want Delhi characters to be loud, have Punjabi accent-Amol Parashar
8:30 AM
The Sardar Udham actor says that he has lost out on roles of a Delhi boy despite being from the city
Akash Wadhwa (BOMBAY TIMES; February 4, 2023)
Tripling fame actor Amol Parashar, who is a popular face on OTT, has also received accolades for his performances on the big screen in movies like Sardar Udham and Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year, among others. A Delhiite, who resides in Mumbai now, Amol says, “Initially when I used to give auditions for the character of a Delhi boy, people would not like them at all.”
Amol says, “For quite some time, I didn’t understand what they wanted out of me as a Delhi boy but eventually, I realized that there is a stereotyped image of Delhi created in the minds of people from what is being shown in TV shows and movies like Fukrey and Band Baaja Baaraat. As a result of this, they expect me to also act in a similar manner.”
Amol adds, “The funny part is that even though main toh apne aap ko Dilli ka manta hun lekin filmein mujhe Dilli ka nahi maanti. I don’t get the Delhi boy type roles. And I have lost out on several roles of a Delhi boy despite being from the city. It was only after several rejections, that I understood that what makers want from me as a Delhiite, and that is being loud, talking in a Punjabi accent, etc (laughs).”
– Inputs from Snigdha Agarwal
Lionsgate India Studios announces its next Bollywood project, a comedy movie named Nausikhiye
7:48 AM
Standing: (L-R) Mrinalini Khanna, VP, Originals, Lionsgate, Rohit Jain, MD, Emerging Markets Asia, Lionsgate, Tanuj Garg, Managing Partner, Ellipsis Entertainment; Sitting: (L-R) Atul Kasbekar, Managing Partner, Ellipsis Entertainment, Amol Parashar, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Abhimanyu Dassani
BOMBAY TIMES (November 30, 2022)
Close to the announcement of its first feature film, Letters To Mr Khanna, starring Neetu Kapoor, Sunny Kaushal and Shradha Srinath, Lionsgate India Studios ventures into comedy with its second film, Nausikhiye. Directed by Santosh Singh, the movie brings together new-age actors Abhimanyu Dassani, Amol Parashar and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Building on its content slate, the studio aims to bring diverse content to its wide audience in India.
Ellipsis Entertainment will produce the film written by Chirag Garg and Avinash Dwivedi. The comic caper chronicles the story of two wedding crashers who accidentally steal a bride, triggering a zany cat-and-mouse chase across the countryside.
Rohit Jain, MD, Emerging Markets Asia, Lionsgate, said, “We are constantly investing in curated content for our dynamic audience in India. Staying true to this, we’re back with another exciting feature film in the comedygenre that is urban, relatable, and fun. We believe this genre is the need of the hour, post pandemic. We aim to explore new and exciting genres to diversify our slate of content to provide our audience with a holistic entertainment experience. We’re sure that this film, helmed by Santosh Singh and a stellar cast, is going to be a full-house entertainer and will be one of the many successful stories produced by the Lionsgate India Studios.”
In Four More Shots Please 2, she was the most loved character, and I feared in Season 3, she would be hated-Maanvi Gagroo
8:31 AM
Enjoying two releases in Four More Shots Please 3 and Tripling 3, Maanvi discusses her apprehensions of playing a bitter character in the women-led show
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; November 8, 2022)
How does it feel to have two shows dropping on the same day? “It gets hectic with the promotions,” warns Maanvi Gagroo, before stating that she wouldn’t trade “the fantastic feeling” for anything else. The universes of Tripling 3 and Four More Shots Please 3 are far divorced from one another, so are her characters. While she had to portray the confused Chanchal in Tripling, she had to also be convincing as the irrational and impulsive Siddhi in the Amazon Prime Video series. Over to the actor as she talks about the juggling act.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
You had back-to-back releases with Four More Shots Please 3 and Tripling 3. Which show gave you more scope to perform?
In Four More Shots Please [FMSP], each character has a definite arc. So as Siddhi [her character], I had more to do in terms of performance. Tripling also [let me perform], but the show is about the fun element. Chanchal [her character] is not someone who cracks jokes or delivers punchlines. She doesn’t have that impact, but Siddhi does.
Tripling was conceived as a road-trip show. Was it a conscious decision to not go on one this season?
Yes, Sumeet [Vyas] and I had discussed that we had already explored road trips in the first two seasons. We knew the audience loved the three characters, their parents and the familial dynamics. We wanted to stick to these pointers. Sumeet and I [felt] that season two was scattered, where we were going from one place to another. We lost the crux — the siblings and the family. By constraining the story to the family and their dynamics, we got the essence of season one back in the new edition.
Why was the track about your character’s doubts in her marriage not pursued further?
I told the director [Neeraj Udhwani] that I wished we had delved deeper into this. Chanchal is comparing her parents’ marriage to her relationship with Pranav [Kunaal Roy Kapur]. If they broke up, she would lose hope in her own marriage. But I wish we had gone deeper [to figure out] how it is wreaking havoc on her marriage. Here, the problem gets solved simplistically. But relationship issues are not solved overnight. It may be [explored] in the next season.
In FMSP, your character underwent a shift. How did you navigate that?
During the pandemic, I was sh*t scared for my parents and the elders in my family. Right after the first wave, we shot FMSP. While performing [the track after Siddhi’s father’s death], I insisted on calling him dad, because I address my father as Papa. I had to avoid going in that direction. I was confused about what Siddhi goes through after [his demise]. I didn’t agree with Siddhi being so annoying and erratic. In season two, she was the most loved character, and I feared that now, she would be hated. While shooting, I hated her, but the makers made me believe that it will all come together in the end. Finally, when I saw the season, I understood that she didn’t know how to process her emotions.
How would you describe the camaraderie with your Tripling and FMSP co-stars?
My relationship with the actors is similar to that depicted on screen. With Sumeet and Amol [Parashar], it is like a brotherly relationship. I call up Sumeet whenever anything happens in my life. I am always bullying Amol and getting away with it. I have a different equation with each of the girls of FMSP. If I need to hang, I call Sayani [Gupta]. For gossip, I call Bani J, and when I want to discuss career choices, I call Kirti [Kulhari].
Social media followers are as important as acting skills today-Amol Parashar
8:00 AM
Arundhuti Banerjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 5, 2022)
Actor Amol Parashar, who was recently seen in the web series Tripling Season 3, feels that talent alone may not be enough to make it big in the OTT space. One’s social media popularity, he says, is equally important.
“In today’s day and age, it is not always about talent, but also the bankability of an actor. And the same is applicable to OTT projects as well. It is about the combination of talent and followers on Instagram. Earlier, it has happened to me multiple times, that even though a director wanted to cast me, the producer would not take me because I was not popular,” says Parashar.
Now, however, things have changed for the actor, who played Chitvan in Tripling. He tells us, “Now, I also have a certain number of followers. People think that I can generate some views for their content. But I am okay with it, as long as I am doing the work of my choice. Of course, if I am not a good actor, no one will watch me.”
And while there is always a fear of being typecast into a certain kinds of roles, Parashar says he has been fortunate in this matter. “After the success of Tripling, I feared that I would get all characters like Chitvan; but thankfully no. I think it has also happened because people in Mumbai, especially casting directors and senior actors, have seen me on stage as I used to do theatre,” says the Feels Like Ishq actor.
And while he is grateful for all the love, he says things are not always easy for an actor who wants to do work that excites them. Parashar, who portrayed the character of freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh in the critically acclaimed film, Sardar Udham (2021), says, “My friends and family say that after my performance in the film, I should be getting more work. But in reality, that’s not what is happening. In the recent past, some opportunities came my way, but I say no to a project when I can’t see myself in the world of the story.”
When I did the first season of Tripling, there was no word like OTT-Amol Parashar
8:42 AM
Saptaparna Biswas (PUNE TIMES; October 1, 2022)
For actor Amol Parashar, the online space was where he had his tryst with onscreen acting. Amol, an engineer and theatre enthusiast, became a popular name through the characters he portrayed in online shows, much before the OTT boom. In a candid chat with us, the Sardar Udham actor speaks about the rise of OTT, playing a legendary character like Bhagat Singh and handling trolls with vinamrata.
‘VARIETY OF ROLES WERE LIMITED BEFORE THE RISE OF OTT PLATFORMS’
Amol has carved a niche for himself by playing a variety of roles in different web shows and has seen the rise of the medium. “When I did the first season of Tripling, there was no word like OTT. Web series used to come out on YouTube then. By the second season, there was a vast difference, and a bunch of platforms had come up. Then, of course, the pandemic happened and blurred all distinctions. I’m not a person to sit and judge ki arey pehle aisa hota tha, ab aisa hai. Now everything – films, TV shows, reality shows, documentaries – everything invariably goes on OTT eventually,” he says.
He further adds how the increasing volume of content has increased the scope of diverse roles for actors. “Before this there were only certain kinds of roles for films, and TV shows would run for years. The scope was a little limited. There is a greater quantity of work now. Every week you get to watch something new, and people are sitting with lists of what they want to watch,” he adds.
‘I WAS NERVOUS WHILE PLAYING THE ROLE OF BHAGAT SINGH’
Amol had stepped into the shoes of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh for Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham. When asked if he was apprehensive of doing a role that has been played by many successful actors before him, he shares, “I was quite nervous. The character itself is legendary and I have grown up watching various talented actors essay the role before. So, there was a fear of not being able to do justice, or people perceiving it differently. I was anxious, more so with a character like this which has preset expectations. But taking up such a role is a risk every artiste takes.”
He recalls how he spoke to his co-actor Vicky Kaushal and Sircar about his doubts. “I’d spoken to Shoojit sir and Vicky also about this and they said ‘Arey tu aaja, apan karenge, bohot mazza aayega’. The goal was to do something different from what others had done with the character. We wanted to bring authenticity and not think much about what had been done before,” he adds.
‘I TRY TO AVOID UNNECESSARY RUDENESS ON THE INTERNET’
With popularity and fame come the trolls on social media who have an opinion about everything a public figure does. Talking about it, Amol says, “Thankfully, I haven’t experienced so much negative attention online. I also have tried on my part to be honest in my interaction with people. I don’t think anyone should talk down to people, even in the virtual world. I have always kept conversations respectful. So, when people comment on something, and you reply with humility and vinamrata, they also mellow down. The escalation stops there. It is tiring and exhausting at times to engage in conversations with people who are there just to pick battles. But I try to avoid any kind of unnecessary rudeness. And if you don’t have the bandwidth, don’t engage.”
Chitvan in Tripling 3 is maturing in his own weird way-Amol Parashar
8:13 AM
Set to return with Tripling 3 after three years, Amol Parashar discusses how the characters have evolved emotionally
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 31, 2022)
Any Tripling fan will tell you that road trips with siblings became an instant addition to their bucket list after the series. Such is the charm of the Sumeet Vyas, Maanvi Gagroo and Amol Parashar-starrer. After the success of the first two seasons, the team has now announced the much-awaited third edition of the TVF offering. For a series that has been shot extensively across India, going from Sikkim to Gujarat, from Jaipur to Kolkata, we wonder where the upcoming instalment is shot. Parashar is in no mood to divulge details, as he teasingly says, “This time, we will be in the hills.”
In the past two outings, we have seen the three siblings – Vyas’s Chandan, Gagroo’s Chanchal and Parashar’s Chitvan – go from squabbling to cheering each other on and helping one another grow. Parashar promises that the characters have matured in the upcoming edition, while retaining their eccentricities that make them lovable. “People have a lot of expectations from Tripling. The idea is to meet some of those expectations, while giving them something new,” he says.
The actor, who was seen in Sardar Udham (2021), adds that his character has undergone a distinct shift in the three years since the last instalment streamed. “With Chitvan, people have come to expect madness. He was different in season two compared to the first instalment. [Here], he is maturing, but in his own weird way. I have grown physically, mentally and emotionally as an actor. Similarly, Chitvan, while still exhibiting his usual traits, has evolved in his relationships.”
While a successful series comes with a lot of pressure, the actor believes the biggest responsibility lies with writers Sumeet Vyas, Abbas Dalal, Gopal Tiwari, Chris George. “I didn’t get involved in the writing process. Sumeet and Arunabh took care of it. Often, they asked me to join their jamming sessions during the scripting stage, but I didn’t want to get into it.”
That said, Parashar offered suggestions about his character while shooting. “Whenever I had a suggestion, I voiced my opinions.”
The 25-day shoot, conducted in early 2022, felt less like work, more like a happy reunion for the cast and crew. Hitting the road after the Coronavirus pandemic was blissful for Parashar, who says, “We were shooting together after three years. Life no longer gives you the luxury to chill and hang out too often [due to the pandemic]. But season three was our excuse to get everyone together and go on a road trip.”
Itna saara kaam hai abhi ki I have to say no to 80% work-Amol Parashar
8:18 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 16, 2022)
When actor Amol Parashar began his journey on OTT platforms in 2016, it was an uncharted territory. But the Feels Like Ishq (2021) actor was unafraid to take the risk to explore newer mediums. Sharing what he realised initially, he says, “It (OTT) was explored at a small scale then. I think I understood that the audience doesn’t care where they are watching as long as they like what they are watching.”
Talking about Tripling, a series that revolves around siblings, the 35-year-old reveals that no Bollywood producer would ever back such a story. He says, “There was no sex, action or romance, and people were like kya bhai behen ki story bana rahe ho. But OTTs helped content move beyond sex, romance and action.”
Parashar, who is happy to see the tide turning, explains, “Earlier, I used to be unsure about trying newer subject but now, I don’t hesitate because I know that there are people out there looking for novelty. The audience has finer feedback than critics. They are smart and want to be challenged and in return, you get challenged.”
And this new appetite for content has also resulted in a bulk of scripts for actors to choose from, something that Parashar also acknowledges wholeheartedly. “Itna saara kaam hai abhi ki I have to say no to 80% work. So, choosing that 20% becomes all the more crucial because that is what will decide how your next two years are going to look like. I am learning and enjoying ki na kaise bolte hain”, he ends.
The grammar of writing a screenplay and making a film for OTT is different-Subhash Ghai
8:07 AM
After four decades of making silver-screen entertainers, Ghai on relearning tricks of trade as he makes web debut with 36 Farmhouse
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; December 20, 2021)
From Karz (1980) to Karma (1986) and Taal (1999), Subhash Ghai’s films have a larger-than-life appeal to them and are best enjoyed on the big screen. But with changing times, the filmmaker too has to alter his style of storytelling. Ghai is set to make his OTT debut with his production, 36 Farmhouse that will drop on ZEE5 early next year.
“Change is the name of life. [The same stands true] for storytellers [like us] who have to relearn to write for the new medium, [while bringing] our experience of writing big-screen drama for four decades,” he says.
Even as he is relearning the rules of the game, Ghai hasn’t veered away from what he does best — family dramas. 36 Farmhouse is a family dramedy helmed by Ram Ramesh Sharma and stars Amol Parashar of Tripling fame, Barkha Singh and Vijay Raaz. The senior filmmaker notes that it is essential to reinvent so that he can cater to the needs of the audience that has evolved dramatically in the past two years.
“I am relearning to write and produce interesting content for home screen, along with the big screen. In OTT entertainment, viewers have the power to watch, stop and forward as they like. The grammar of writing a screenplay and making a film for OTT is different from big-screen writing. There is little scope to pause and stay [on a scene] or use long-shots [in projects designed for] laptops or mobile screens. So, it is tougher to make an interesting film with repeat value.”
Bhagat Singh's commentary about capitalism, communalism and bigotry gives us a peek into his motivations-Amol Parashar
8:18 AM
Amol Parashar on playing Bhagat Singh in Vicky Kaushal’s Sardar Udham Singh
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 25, 2021)
He firmly believes in letting his work do all the talking, so Amol Parashar has been quite mum about playing the role of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham Singh. “It’s a cameo of sorts,” says the actor of the film that was wrapped up in February 2020, a month before the world went into lockdown due to COVID-19.
“It’s the kind of film that will get what it deserves and good things take time to brew,” says Parashar of the Vicky Kaushal-starrer. While the big screen has emulated the man from history in several outings—Shaheed-e-Azad Bhagat Singh (1954), Shaheed Bhagat Singh (1963), Shaheed (1965), 23rd March 1931: Shaheed (2002), the Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), Shaheed-E-Azam (2002), and Rang de Basanti (2006)—Parashar was keen to interpret the character differently.
“The challenge was to discover this man from the pages of our history and lend authenticity to him. I did my interpretation of the character because playing this part comes with both, baggage and expectations. I was conscious to not copy any other actor and find my own footing. Shoojit Da briefed me right at the start that I need to play a young 21-year-old, passionate boy who is well-read. It was important to humanise a revolutionary like him and the starting point was reading a lot of literature that he had written in his lifetime. His general social commentary about capitalism, communalism and bigotry gives us a peek into his motivations.”
Feels Like Ishq was a way of moving out of my own circuit-Amol Parashar
9:00 AM
Amol Parashar, who features in 'Feels Like Ishq', says the Netflix anthology is his attempt to work with new people and gain fresh perspective
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 20, 2021)
'Feels Like Ishq', Netflix’s upcoming anthology of love stories, has an emotional connect with its actors. The project is Seher Aly Latif’s final production before her untimely demise in June. When we get on a call with Amol Parashar, we start our chat remembering Latif. “I had known her as a casting director, having auditioned with her for years. Seher and I hadn’t worked together till this project came along. After she passed away, I was going through our texts; she had sent a text, saying, ‘We are finally working together.’ It makes me sad that she isn’t here to see what we have done together.”
In the anthology, Parashar stars alongside Radhika Madan in Save The Da(y)te, which is directed by Ruchir Arun. It’s safe to say that 'Feels Like Ishq', with its breezy treatment, is home turf for the actor. “When OTT started off in India, such light-hearted shows [were churned out] to captivate young audiences. Thereafter, [content creators switched gears] to full-blown crime and heartland stories. I want to dabble in crime dramas in the near future, but these tender stories have a way of warming your heart. For me, this project was also a way of moving out of my own circuit. On every project, I bump into people I know. But with 'Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare' and 'Feels Like Ishq', it was a new world waiting to offer fresh experiences and a fresh perspective.”
Parashar is also hoping to slip back into the role of Chitvan for the third season of 'Tripling', a show that made him an overnight sensation. It can’t possibly be easy for writers Sumeet Vyas and Akarsh Khurana to pull off a road trip series in post-pandemic times. Quiz him on the show’s progress, and Parashar says that he stays out of the writing stage. “I don’t let Sumeet tell me about the discussions that happen at the writing stage. The character of Chitvan is such that I need a full narration to be surprised by him. Considering the [third season’s] announcement has been made, it’s certainly in the vicinity.”
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