When stepping into the shoes of Kuber for Prime Video’s streaming hit Dupahiya Season 2, Avinash Dwivedi realised that delivering punchlines and nailing his comic timing wouldn’t be enough. To truly bring the character to life, he had to look past what was printed on the page and construct an entirely hidden chapter of Kuber’s life.
Between the end of Season 1 and his dramatic re-entry in Season 2, a significant gap of time elapsed, setting the stage for a poignant reunion with Roshni. Rather than leaving those missing years to chance, Avinash took matters into his own hands, independently drafting a five-to-six-page backstory that never appeared in the official script.
Reflecting on the meticulous preparation required for his character’s return, Avinash shared, “The scene where I make my entry was a little challenging because, as Kuber, as a character, I am meeting Roshni after quite a long time, and a lot has happened in between. So, creating the backstory for that period and figuring out how I would react when she comes in front of me after everything that has happened was a challenge.”
For the actor, this self-assigned writing exercise was essential to grounding his performance in authentic emotion, mapping out the unseen triumphs and struggles that shaped Kuber before he stepped back on screen. “I created the entire backstory of what my character, Kuber, might have done and what he might not have done between the end of Season 1 and my character’s entry in Season 2. I wrote a complete backstory of five to six pages separately by myself, which was not part of the script.”
Building a deeply personal, emotional framework for Kuber was only half the battle. Summing up the tightrope walk of blending vulnerability with laughs, he noted, “The biggest challenge is to be emotionally present and, at the same time, create humour, since this is a comedy show.”
